‘Stop the drama’: VP Duterte told to answer House’s queries on budget

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers from both the Majority and Minority blocs of the House of Representatives have urged Vice President Sara Duterte to “stop the drama” and just respond to queries about her budget expenditures.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro on Monday said that it seems the vice president is resorting to “squid tactics” again, as she supposedly diverts attention from her office’s use of P125 million confidential funds (CF) in 2022 in just 11 days.

“Again, VP Duterte is using squid tactics to cover up her misdeeds. She should just stop the drama and explain where and how she spent P125 million confidential funds in 11 days,” Castro said.

“Dapat sa House of Representatives na siya nagpaliwanag kesa sa isang video na sila din ang gumawa. Mas maganda na humarap siya bukas sa komite at doon magpaliwanag,” she added.

(She should explain her side before the House of Representatives, not in a video that they themselves created. It would be better if she faces the committee tomorrow and explains the issues there.)

The proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2025 will be discussed by the House committee on appropriations on Tuesday, September 10, after it was deferred last August 27.

Lawmakers from the said panel decided to defer the OVP’s budget because Duterte did not provide direct answers to the lawmakers’ questions, particularly on the CF, and instead replied by either saying that she forgoes the opportunity to defend the budget in a question-and-answer format or insisting that they have already coordinated with the Commission on Audit (COA) regarding the notice of disallowance.

READ: Squid tactics? Castro scores VP Sara for deflecting secret fund issue

Earlier, the OVP shared an interview with Duterte where she brushed off allegations of being a “brat,” saying that this was just part of attacks from political opponents and critics.

According to Duterte, she responded to every question thrown at her regarding her office’s 2025 budget proposal, but lawmakers just did not like her replies.

READ: Sara Duterte: I’m not a brat, solons just don’t like my answers

The OVP is requesting a P2.037 billion allocation for 2025 — higher than any budget received by Duterte’s predecessor, former Vice President Leni Robredo.

But Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre aired the same sentiments as Castro, saying that the vice president should have explained her side at the House hearing.

“Bakit ka nagpapaliwanag sa labas, VP? Dito sa budget process ka magsalita sa ngalan ng transparency at accountability dahil pera ng taumbayan ang pinag-uusapan dito. Pumunta ka bukas (Tuesday), Vice President Duterte, sa hearing. The budget hearings ensure that public funds are allocated responsibly and that agencies, including the OVP, justify their expenses,” Acidre said.

(Why did you explain your side outside the House, VP? You should have explained it during the budget process, in the name of transparency and accountability because we are talking about the budget. Show up here tomorrow at the hearing, Vice President Duterte.)

“If she claims not to be a ‘spoiled brat,’ she must prove it by respecting the process and providing the answers we need to evaluate her office’s budget,” he added.

Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig 2nd District Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora also reminded Duterte that asking tough questions is part of a lawmaker’s role, especially during budget deliberations.

“It is our duty to ask tough questions, and it’s her duty as an elected official to respond thoroughly and with clarity,” Zamora said.

“Dismissing our queries as ‘patutsada’ undermines the process and the institution we are all part of. We ask for professionalism,” she added.

Different issues have been hurled against Duterte, but during the budget season, questions about her offices’ CF expenditures were raised again, after Minority lawmakers did not obtain any answer during past deliberations.

Castro last August 30 said that misuse of taxpayer’s money — particularly CFs — is an impeachable offense, noting that there is a possibility that Vice President Sara Duterte will be held liable over the COA’s notice of disallowance (ND).

COA’s ND stated that P73 million of the P125 million CF of the OVP in 2022 was disallowed.

At the discussions on the Department of Education budget, Duterte — who was the former Education secretary — was also called out for the slow procurement and hand-over of laptops, computers, and smart television sets, and for the delivery of spoiled food items.

READ: Solons blast low budget use, non-delivery of laptops of DepEd under Sara