VP Duterte faces House hearing on fund use | ABS-CBN

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VP Duterte faces House hearing on fund use

VP Duterte faces House hearing on fund use

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Sep 18, 2024 06:17 PM PHT

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MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday attended the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability's first hearing into her office’s fund utilization.
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday attended the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability's first hearing into her office’s fund utilization.

Aside from the Office of the Vice President (OVP), the panel also seeks to investigate how the Department of Education spent its funds while Duterte was still its secretary.

Duterte refused to be placed under oath, saying that the letter sent by the panel to her office stated that she would serve as a resource person. 

"When you sent a letter to the Office of the Vice President, you attached a copy of the rules in aid of legislation. Nakalagay po doon na witnesses lang ang ino-oath," she added.

Committee chairperson Rep. Joel Chua replied, "Lahat po considered as resource persons and witness." 

But Duterte's ally, former president and Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Arroyo, said that resource persons and witnesses are "not the same" under a Supreme Court ruling. 

"We cannot just trivialize… pareho na rin ‘yun witness, resource person," she said. 

"Somebody who appears to be the accused has a different tier of protection from a witness, and can in fact refuse to take the witness stand." 

Vice President Sara Duterte attends the first hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability regarding her office’s fund utilization. Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News Vice President Sara Duterte attends the first hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability regarding her office’s fund utilization. Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News 
 

Duterte proceeded to tell lawmakers, "We have not done anything wrong. There is no misuse of funds."

"If there are audit findings, we shall gladly respond to them before the Commission on Audit. If there are legitimate cases to be filed, then we shall gladly respond to them before the appropriate courts," the Vice President said. 

She also claimed that the proceedings were "no ordinary legislative inquiry", but "a well-funded and coordinated political attack."

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"This much is evident from the very words of the privilege speech that prompted this inquiry. A speech that simply meant to say do not vote for Sara on 2028," she said.

She urged the committee "to terminate this inquiry for its clear lack of any proposed legislation or substantive matter for discussion." 

But Rep. Chua said the committee already took cognizance of this privilege speech and that it would "now proceed." 

Duterte later told lawmakers: "You may try to destroy me. You can skin me alive and throw my ashes to the wind. But let it be known, you will find me unbowed." 

"It is clear to me that this inquiry is not about misused funds, accountability or governance. Instead, it is solely aimed at discrediting my name and my office to prevent future political contests," she said. 

Duterte previously accused some lawmakers of efforts to impeach her from office, which congressmen denied. 

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