VP Sara Duterte composite image from Inquirer stock and House of Representatives of the Philippines photos
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has claimed that the new House hearing on alleged problems with her office’s budget utilization is a dry run of impeachment proceedings against her.
In an ambush interview at the sidelines of the House committee on good government and public accountability hearing on Wednesday, Duterte again claimed that an impeachment complaint against her is in the works.
“Oh yeah, very obvious. Very obvious ‘yong kanilang ginagawa na nagpa-practice sila kung anong gagawin nila para sa impeachment,” Duterte said when asked why she mentioned impeachment during her speech.
(Oh yeah, very obvious. It is very obvious that they are practicing for what they would do during an impeachment proceeding.)
“Nagte-testing sila ngayon kung ano yung gagawin nila. Kasi nagsabi na siya kanina, di ba? Determination of malfeasance, nonfeasance, misfeasance. So, ibig sabihin, merong ginawang mali,” she added.
(They are testing what they are about to do. Because he mentioned that a while ago, right? Determination of malfeasance, nonfeasance, misfeasance. So, this means, they are pertaining to something supposedly done wrong.)
She was referring to the speech of Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano that the hearing was conducted to determine whether there were anomalies in how the Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent its funds.
The topic of the committee hearing is Valeriano’s privilege speech last September 3 when he asked the OVP to show proof that the financial beneficiaries of its programs were true.
Lawmakers were unable to interpellate Duterte as she refused to take an oath during the hearing.
However, the Vice President delivered a speech, saying that the committee intended to impeach her.
“Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ang budget ang punterya ninyo dahil napakadali namang magtanggal ng budget. What you are trying to do is make a case for impeachment,” she told the committee.
(To be honest, it’s not the budget that you are going against because it is very easy to slash a budget.)
“Hindi naman ako kakandidato sa nalalapit na eleksyon. Hindi ako namumulitika. Ang ginagawa ko lang ay ang pagtupad sa aking oath of office at campaign platforms na trabaho, edukasyon, at mapayapang pamumuhay,” she added.
(I am not a candidate for the next elections. I do not engage in politicking. What I am doing is implementing my oath of office and campaign platforms of jobs, education, and peaceful lives.)
Waiting game
When asked if she thinks the possible impeachment complaint will prosper, Duterte said she cannot comment on that yet.
“Hindi ko masabi ‘yan kung mag-prosper or hindi. ‘Pag nandyan na, sasagutin natin, then iiwan na natin sa Congress,” Duterte said.
(I cannot say if the impeachment complaint will prosper or not. When it’s there, I will answer it, and then leave it up to Congress.)
“Antayin natin ‘yong articles of impeachment. Doon tayo magbabase kung ano ‘yong isasagot natin dahil hindi naman natin alam kung ano talaga ‘yong final na susulat nila,” she added.
(We will wait for the articles of impeachment. We will base our answers there because we do not know what their final complaint will look like.)
House leaders have reiterated that no impeachment complaint against Duterte is being discussed.
However, during the deliberations on the OVP’s proposed budget for 2025, Duterte said her friends relayed to her the audio recordings of lawmakers talking about impeachment.
READ: VP Duterte on impeachment: House lawmaker has recordings of talks
Duterte also cited a Philippine Daily Inquirer report on lawmakers’ talking about an impeachment complaint against her. The Vice President did not mention who the lawmaker was, but the quotes were lifted from an August 26, 2023 story of the Inquirer where ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said they were mulling the filing of an impeachment complaint.
Castro clarified that the House leadership was not involved in discussing the possibility of filing an impeachment complaint against Duterte, saying it was just a “casual conversation” between lawmakers.
READ: Lawmaker threatens VP Sara with impeach rap; Veep responds, ‘Enjoy’
The OVP and Duterte are currently under fire after House hearings revealed issues on the OVP’s confidential funds in 2022 and 2023.
Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe previously said that Duterte may be held liable for graft if she cannot explain how funds were spent, particularly the items with adverse findings from the Commission on Audit (COA).
READ: VP Sara Duterte may be liable for graft – Dalipe
The COA issued a notice of disallowance on P73.2 million of the OVP’s P125-million CF for 2022 — an item that several lawmakers said should not be available in the first place as the original budget crafted under former vice president Leni Robredo did not have such.