Vice President Sara Duterte speaks during her press conference at the Office of the Vice President, Robinsons Cybergate Plaza in Mandaluyong City. (INQUIRER file photo from LYN RILLON)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Leaders of the House of Representatives challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to address the alleged misuse of public funds, instead of dismissing them as political attacks.
鈥淲e are still waiting for the vice president to explain the need for 34 safe houses in less than two weeks. The public has a right to know why P16 million of their money was spent so dubiously,鈥� House Assistant Majority Leader Paolo Ortega said in a statement Saturday.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 nothing to hide, she should testify under oath. This is public money, and the Filipino people deserve transparency and accountability. No more evasions. No more squid tactics,鈥� Ortega stressed.
On Thursday, the House committee on good government raised alarms over the Office of the Vice President鈥檚 use of P16 million in confidential funds to rent 34 safe houses for 11 days in December 2022.
READ: House panel flags VP Duterte鈥檚 spending on 鈥榮afe houses鈥�
Lawmakers also questioned the P15.5 million budget of the Department of Education, which it supposedly spent on the Philippine Army鈥檚 Youth Leadership Summit in 2023, when Duterte was still the agency鈥檚 chief.
The Army then stated that DepEd had 鈥渘o direct contribution鈥� in staging the program.
In September鈥檚 hearing of the House inquiry into her budget use, Duterte refused to swear to tell the truth, arguing she was only a 鈥渞esource person鈥� and not a 鈥渨itness鈥� required to take the oath.
READ: Sara skips truth-telling oath, cries House 鈥榓ttack鈥�
The vice president then said she would no longer attend the House probe, saying it was 鈥渦nnecessary.鈥�
She also called for the termination of the proceedings.
READ: Sara Duterte to skip 鈥榰nnecessary鈥� House probe into OVP funds
House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre said in the statement, 鈥淭his is not just about accounting errors. This is deception. Using the military to cover up the improper use of confidential funds is an egregious act.鈥�
Meanwhile, House Assistant Majority Leader and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mika Suansing said, 鈥淭he ongoing investigations regarding the alleged misuse of OVP and DepEd funds under Vice President Duterte puts the vice president鈥檚 leadership into question.鈥�
Acidre added, 鈥淚nstead of addressing these legitimate concerns through appropriate and respectful channels, she dismissed them as political attacks.鈥�
鈥淪uch an approach sows division and distracts us from what matters 鈥� the urgent challenges our people face,鈥� the lawmaker noted.
At her press briefing on Friday, Vice President Duterte said the spending spree was 鈥渘ot surprising鈥� and claimed the House inquiry was a 鈥渄emolition job鈥� to establish grounds to impeach her.
READ: VP: Millions spent in a day 鈥榥ot surprising鈥�
Duterte also said President Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr. did not know how to do his job as chief executive.
Duterte won her vice presidential bid, alongside Marcos, through their 鈥淯niTeam鈥� ticket in the 2022 national elections.
She also said the country was on the 鈥渞oad to hell.鈥�
READ: VP Duterte: Not my fault we鈥檙e on this road to hell
Acidre responded, 鈥淚f she truly believes she can offer better leadership, then the path forward is clear: Focus on delivering concrete results instead of fostering discord.鈥�
鈥淭he Filipino people expect leaders who build bridges, not walls 鈥� those who pursue durable solutions over fleeting political gain,鈥� he added.
鈥楧颈蝉谤别蝉辫别肠迟蹿耻濒鈥�
In a separate statement on Saturday, House Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig City Rep. Pammy Zamora criticized the vice president for 鈥渄isrespecting鈥� the late former president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
鈥淯sing and disrespecting the dead runs counter to our culture. For us Filipinos, that is a no-no,鈥� Zamora said.
Duterte, also in her two-hour tell-all conference, said she warned Senator Imee Marcos that if the administration continued attacking her, she would personally dig up Marcos Sr.鈥檚 body from the Libingan ng mga Bayani and throw it into the West Philippine Sea.
READ: Duterte: I鈥檒l throw Marcos Sr.鈥檚 body into West PH Sea if attacks continue
The vice president stressed that it was her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who allowed Marcos Sr.鈥檚 burial at the heroes鈥� cemetery in 2016.
鈥淎ng kawalang-galang sa patay ay hindi makatao at lalong hindi maka-Filipino. Hindi natin ginagawa 鈥榶an sa sinumang patay, kamag-anak o hindi,鈥� Zamora observed.
鈥淚n fact, we love our departed. We visit them in their resting places whenever we can,鈥� she added.
The Taguig representative suggested that Duterte must just address the questions on her use of public funds.