Makabayan bloc dares Duterte to counter fund misuse

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Makabayan party-list bloc has challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to refute accusations against her alleged mismanagement of P612.5 million in confidential funds absent an impeachment trial.

Duterte previously said she wanted all evidence from the prosecution and defense sides to be presented but “unfortunately” it will not happen after the Senate archived the impeachment case.

Makabayan lawmakers said Duterte can still show evidence during the upcoming budget hearings or other venues.

“Wala namang pumipigil kay vice president na ilabas na 'yung kanyang depensa, whether sa press con pwede niyang ilabas 'yan and most definitely, dito sa Kongreso, lalo pa at parating na ang budget hearings,” ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said in a chance interview.

[Translation: No one is stopping the vice president from presenting her defense. She can present that in a press conference and, most definitely, here in Congress, especially as budget hearings are approaching.]

“Ang challenge natin kay VP Sara na bilang public official, maging compliant siya sa law, maging compliant siya doon sa iba't ibang pagiging compulsory ng paghahanap kung nasaan ang funds na 'to through 'yung pagpunta niya sa mga summons. 'Yun naman 'yung challenge: Show up in the budget hearings,” Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co said.

[Translation: Our challenge to Vice President Sara: As a public official, be compliant with the law and the other compulsories in finding the funds through attending summons. Our challenge: Show up in the budget hearings.]

For Tinio, Duterte’s remarks are plain “posturing.”

The legislators said they will ask Duterte about the confidential funds during budget deliberations.

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During the 19th Congress, the House good government and public accountability committee held an inquiry into Duterte’s confidential fund expenditure, which she repeatedly skipped.

Lawmakers discovered over a thousand of dubious recipients of confidential funds, whose names were not on the system of the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The confidential fund mismanagement is among the reasons 215 House members signed the impeachment complaint against Duterte in February.