Michael Poa (RTVM / PCO website)
MANILA, Philippines — The pre-termination of his contract as the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) spokesperson was “a mutual decision,” according to lawyer Michael Poa himself.
Poa revealed this when asked about his contract by Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun during the House committee on good governance and public accountability on Tuesday.
The panel is currently probing the OVP’s alleged misuse of government funds.
“Nagkaroon ng pag-uusap prior to the previous hearings, it was a mutual decision,” Poa told lawmakers.
(There was a conversation prior to the previous hearings, it was a mutual decision.)
“Nag-express ako na hindi ko kaya i-fulfill yung obligations ng contract as spokesperson because to be honest with you I find it very difficult to go on media to be interviewed on the same matter kasi nawawala objectivity kasi I’m also part of the hearing as a resource person,” he added.
(I told them that I cannot fulfill the obligations of the contract as a spokesperson because, to be honest with you I find it very difficult to go on media to be interviewed on the same matter because objectivity is missing because I’m also part of the hearing as a resource person.)
Poa said he talked to Vice President Sara Duterte about his concerns, and they mutually decided to pre-terminate his contract, which was supposed to end in December this year.
Earlier during the same hearing, panel chairperson and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua asked Poa if he was still working for OVP, to which the latter replied: “I would like to inform the honorable committee that I’m no longer connected with the OVP. My consultancy contract was already pre-terminated.”
“I’m also no longer a spokesperson,” he likewise said in Filipino and English.
Chua was quizzing Poa regarding seven OVP officials who were the subject of the House panel’s probe into alleged government funds misuse.