Senator Risa Hontiveros and Vice President Sara Duterte (PHOTOS: SENATE PRIB, FB/DUTERTE)
MANILA Philippines — After clashing with Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Vice President Sara Duterte described herself as cordial but not “plastic” or fake.
Duterte and Hontiveros engaged in a verbal tussle during the Senate subcommittee on finance hearing on the proposed P2.037-billion budget of the Office of the Vice President for 2025.
READ: Duterte, Hontiveros clash over ‘politicizing’ budget hearings
After the exchange, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano tried to pacify the tense atmosphere in the room, saying he preferred a “cordial exchange.”
“But we also have to take into context that this is both legislative and political, and there are attacks against the Vice President regardless saan nanggagaling (of where it is coming),” Cayetano said.
“So a little bit of latitude dahil (because) we want, kakampi man o kalaban (allies or foes), to feel welcome but I agree with Sen. Risa naman how do we make it more cordial,” he added.
Responding to this, Duterte said: “I’m very cordial when it comes to international diplomatic relations.”
“Gusto niyo, i-discuss natin yung West Philippine Sea. But hindi kasi ako plastic na tao,” she added.
(If you want, we can discuss the West Philippines Sea. But I’m not a plastic person.)
Earlier in the hearing, Duterte accused Hontiveros of “politicizing” the budget of the government after the senator asked about the P10-million budget proposal for the distribution of a children’s book authored by the Vice President herself.
The amount was part of the proposed P100-million budget for the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) program Pagbabago campaign next year, according to Hontiveros.
“[This is] another example of politicizing the budget of the government,” Duterte said. “Ito pong sinabi ni Sen. Risa Hontiveros na at a proper time she’ll lodge a motion to make the requested budget of the OVP to the other agencies.”
(Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that at the appropriate time, she would file a motion to allocate the requested budget for the OVP to the other agencies)