Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon (wearing glasses). —Photo from the Facebook page of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament’
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte can step down from her post if she is not interested in it, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon said on Tuesday after the Office of the Vice President (OVP) skipped the plenary debates on its proposed budget for 2025.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, lawmakers from the House of Representatives’ Young Guns bloc members were asked about Duterte and the OVP absence during the plenary debates on Monday, in contrast to allegations that Duterte was on a beach in Camarines Norte.
According to Bongalon, such an activity shows a lack of interest in her office, as heads of agencies are mandated to attend budget deliberations, or in extreme conditions, assign an authorized representative to assist the budget sponsor.
“So if that’s the case, it shows that she’s not interested in her duties and functions as the vice president of the Philippines. So with that coming out, probably we can ask her to step down as the vice president,” Bongalon said, speaking partly in Filipino.
“As we have seen, she did not attend hearings here in Congress. So what does this mean? It means she is not interested as she chose to visit a beach resort first before attending her agency’s budget hearing.”
Vice President Sara Duterte at a House hearing on the OVP budget. —File photo from the House of Representatives
Up to people to judge Duterte
Bongalon said it would be up to the Filipino people to judge Duterte.
“So I guess it’s the Filipino people, it’s up to them to judge the vice president… If she’s not interested with in duties and functions as the vice president, we can ask the vice president to step down,” he added.
The OVP proposed budget for 2025 was supposed to be deliberated at the House plenary at 10:00 a.m. Monday, but other agencies were asked to go first as the representative sent by Duterte’s office did not carry a written explanation and a letter of authorization.
The House then waited for the OVP to send an official representative until around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, but neither Duterte bor an OVP representative showed up. This prompted the majority to ask that OVP budget be discussed in the September 24 session instead.
READ: Sara Duterte skipping budget debates ‘betrayal of public trust’ – solon
On Monday, there were rumors that Duterte was on Calaguas Island for a beach trip. However, the OVP denied this, saying that the reports were mere efforts to “besmirch” Duterte.
Sentiments share by other lawmakers
Meanwhile Deputy Speaker David Suarez was asked if Bongalon’s suggestion was also the belief of other House members. In response, Suarez said that it was a sentiment shared by other lawmakers.
“Well that’s clear sentiments being shared by a lot of members. I mean, you know, this work, a responsbility. We are al elected. We are the one entrusted to serve. We have duties to fulfill. This is part of our work. This is part of our responsibility,” he said, speaking partly in Filipino.
“So, as head of agency, as head of department, you have to go through the process. And this is just bigger. This is not even about her. This is about the Office of the Vice President, the second highest position of the land. And you have to put respect and due courtesy to that office. And to simply show up and do your work, I think it’s the least that she can do for the Office of the Vice President,” he added.
This is not the first time that Duterte skipped hearings on her office’s proposed budget. Last September 10, at the second round of talks at the House committee on appropriations, neither Duterte nor any member of the OVP showed up to respond to questions.
The OVP was originally allocated a P2.037 billion budget under the National Expenditures Program (NEP), but lawmakers in the House decided to cut this down after Duterte skipped the hearing — after initially refusing to directly answer lawmakers’ queries at the August 27 hearing.
READ: OVP’s 2025 budget talks deferred anew; panel terminates hearings
During the August 27 hearing, Duterte answered most of the questions by saying that she would forgo the opportunity to defend the OVP budget and leave it up to the House to decide on the budget submitted.