FROM LEFT: Martin Romualdez, Sara Duterte, and Elizaldy Co. (Photos from RTVM/LIVE, Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit, Rep. Zaldy Co/FACEBOOK)
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday claimed that the issues surrounding her office’s use of confidential funds (CFs) are part of an orchestrated attack against her.
In a video released by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Duterte claimed that the Makabayan Bloc asked Speaker Martin Romualdez to remove the OVP’s CF in 2023, which the latter allegedly agreed to.
“Bumulong ang Makabayan Bloc kay Martin Romualdez. At dahil sa kagustuhan ni Martin Romualdez na hindi siya atakihin, at dahil sa gusto niyang suportahan ang Makabayan at ang NPA (New People’s Army), nakinig siya. At ang ginawa niya, tanggalin ‘yung budget,” Duterte claimed.
(The Makabayan Bloc talked to Martin Romualdez. And because Martin Romualdez didn’t want them to attack him, and because he wanted to support the Makabayan and the NPA, he listened. And what he did was he removed the budget.)
She also cited a statement from the Makabayan Bloc in September 2023 when they announced that they would be meeting Romualdez to talk about removing the OVP’s CF.
“At para hindi halata na inaatake nila ako, ay tinanggalan din nila ‘yung mga iba pang mga departments ng kanilang confidential funds,” she said.
(They also deprived the other departments of their confidential funds so that it would not be obvious that they were attacking me.)
Duterte said she was only informed by her “congressman friend” that House committee on appropriations chair Zaldy Co would remove the OVP’s CF.
READ: Sara Duterte says Romualdez, Co manipulate national budget allocation
According to Duterte, it was at that point that she realized that the CF issue would be weaponized against her.
“Doon ko na lang naintindihan na aatake sila gamit ang confidential funds [issue]. Dahil sumunod noon, October, ay mayroong dated na October na audit memorandum ang Commission on Audit (COA),” she added.
(That’s when I understood that they were going to attack using the confidential funds issue. Because after that, October, the Commission on Audit released an audit memorandum.)
The alleged attack was extended until the OVP budget deliberations last August 27, according to Duterte.
She said lawmakers already had an audiovisual presentation and a “script” during the deliberations.
“Mayroon na silang nakahanda na script na binabasa, at ‘yung isa pa nga na congresswoman na sabi niya, ‘wala akong panahon, basta mahaba ito. Hindi ko mabasa letter per letter.’ Pero kung makita mo, may nakahanda siya na mga sagot sa mga sinabi namin sa Commission on Audit,” she pointed out.
(They already have a script to be read, and the other congresswoman said, ‘I don’t have time, this is long. I can’t read letter by letter.’ But if you see, she already had prepared answers to what we told the Commission on Audit.)
“Legal points na sinabi namin sa Commission on Audit, bakit napakadelikado ng ginagawa na kinukuha ang mga dokumento nang hindi tapos at hindi final na audit. So, kung makita mo, ganun ‘yun nakahanda sila,” she added.
(Legal points that we told the Commission on Audit, why it’s dangerous to take the documents when the auditing is not yet final. So, if you see, that’s how prepared they were.)
The COA issued a notice of disallowance on P73.2 million of the OVP’s P125-million CF for 2022. Several lawmakers said it should be unavailable in the first place as the original budget crafted under former Vice President Leni Robredo had no CF.
READ: VP Sara Duterte may be liable for graft – Dalipe
However, Duterte claimed lawmakers are just using the issues on the OVP’s CF and the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget against her.
“Kung ulit-ulitin natin ‘yung nangyari noong House budget hearing noong August 27, mayroon silang plano na gamitin ‘yun para siraan ako,” she said.
(If we review what happened during the House budget hearing on August 27, they had a plan to use that to discredit me.)
“At hindi lang sila tumitigil diyan. Kung makita ninyo, ngayon naman nasa DepEd budget sila [para sa] pagsira ng pangalan ko. Kahit wala akong kinalaman doon sa mga observations ng Commission on Audit, sinasabi nila na ‘kasalanan ni Inday Sara ‘yan,’” she added.
(And they did not stop there. As you see, now they are using the issue on the DepEd’s budget to destroy my name. Even though I have nothing to do with the observations of the Commission on Audit, they say that it is Inday Sara’s fault.)
Last Tuesday, Duterte also claimed that Romuladez and Co were manipulating the government’s budget for their own benefit.
READ: Sara Duterte says Romualdez, Co manipulate national budget allocation