Vice President Sara Duterte attends a hearing for the Office of the Vice President's 2025 budget at the House of Representatives on August 27, 2024. Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte has informed the House of Representatives that she would not attend a succeeding inquiry into the Department of Education’s (DepEd) alleged misuse of its budget, saying that the congressional investigation on the matter is “unnecessary.”

While Duterte attended the initial investigation of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability last week, the Vice President said she would skip the panel’s succeeding hearings.

“The inquiry is based on unsubstantiated allegations contained in a privilege speech by Cong. Rolando Valeriano… Cong. Valeriano merely cited the 2023, 2024 and 2025 budget of the OVP were concentrated in the National Capital Region,” Duterte said in a letter received at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

“Such claims can be verified through the accomplishment reports submitted by the OVP to support its 2025 budget proposal, and confirmed through various news reports, COA reports and postings on various social media platforms,” the letter read.

“Clearly the conduct of a formal inquiry or hearing on the matter is unnecessary.”

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Legislators should draft a House bill “to ensure that the discussions would be germane to the subject matter,” Duterte said, noting that the “invitation of the Committee itself lacks any clear legislative objective or contemplated legislation that is expected as an outcome of the deliberations.”

“Inquiries should not be adversarial nor prosecutorial and should recognize the right of persons to refuse or participate in the crafting of laws,” the Vice President said.

“The HOR cannot compel people to participate in the legislative process and such right is protected by the Constitution,” she said.

'HOUSE DOES NOT HOLD JUDICIAL AUTHORITY'

Duterte also called out the House of Representatives for allegedly misusing its right to conduct investigations in aid of legislation.

“The use of the term ‘investigation’ in the Rules appears to depart from the purpose of merely aiding legislation and refers more to the investigative powers associated with judicial processes,” the second-in-command said in her letter.

“Such is violative of the principle of separation of powers, since it is well-established that the House of Representatives does not hold any judicial or prosecutorial authority,” she said.

“It must be emphasized that ambiguous rules or unconstitutional rules of procedure are violative of the right to due process of persons appearing before committee hearings,” she added.

READ: VP Duterte can step down if she is no longer interested in performing her duties: solon

The House investigation stemmed from the privilege speech of Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano and the manifestation of Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro alleging that the DepEd — under Duterte’s helm — failed to deliver several computers and other materials procured by the agency.

Last week, Duterte appeared before the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability and called the panel’s proceedings a “political attack.”

"I will not allow myself to be subjected to an inquiry based on an empty privilege speech just so you can attack me... I therefore request this committee to terminate this inquiry for clear lack of any proposed legislation or substantive matter for discussion," Duterte said.

VP Duterte skips House plenary deliberations for OVP budget

Under House rules, only elected lawmakers may move to terminate the chamber’s proceedings.

While the House panel did not heed Duterte’s request to end the inquiry, the committee allowed the Vice President to leave early.

Duterte said that the OVP has been “filing its comments in response to various petitions filed before the Supreme Court” and “cooperating and coordinating with the Commission on Audit in accordance with the latter’s Rules of Procedure.”

“To date, the audit process has not been terminated,” she said in her letter to Congress.

Aside from the congressional inquiry, Duterte has also snubbed the House’s plenary deliberations for the OVP’s 2025 budget request.

BUDGET SPONSOR TO PROCEED 

As sponsor, Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong was set to proceed and defend the budget of the OVP during the interpellation even without Duterte. 

“I will sponsor the 700 million proposed budget as recommended by the Committee on Appropriations,” Adiong told reporters. 

He said some items initially proposed by the OVP will be “realigned” to other agencies tasked with delivering similar services such as the social welfare and health departments. 

Adiong said the OVP could instead request the concerned agencies to give aid to its intended beneficiaries. 

Asked how he felt over the absence of Duterte or her representative, Adiong said, “It would have been easier for me to sponsor the OVP budget had they been so cooperative. I personally have my own concerns that I like to be clarified with.” 

“So it’s really hard to sponsor and defend the budget na ako mismo… na kulang ang pagkaka-intindi doon sa pag-prepare ng pondo na yun at pag-identify ng mga programa na ninanais na i-implement at maibigay ng Office of the Vice President,” Adiong said.  

“It’s kind of frustrating to be honest,” he added.  


CONGRESS LEADERS EYE SWIFT BUDGET PASSAGE


Philippine Congress leaders assured the swift passage of the 2025 national budget before Christmas this year.

The assurance comes shortly after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Tuesday certified as urgent the passage of the proposed P6.352-trillion spending bill to “ensure the uninterrupted operation of critical government functions, guarantee the allocation of fiscal resources for vital initiatives, and enable the government to adeptly respond to emerging challenges.”

House Speaker Martin Romualdez said the certification would  enable the House of Representatives to approve the 2025 General Appropriations Bill on both the second and final reading by Wednesday. 

“Mamayang gabi po maipapasa natin yan on third and final reading and ready for transmission in short order sa Senate kaya ito ang pinakaimportanteng batas na ihaharap natin ito sa Kongreso at kumpiyansa ako na maitatapos natin ito ngayong gabi dahil sa pag-certify ng Malacanang as urgent…that will be done,” Romualdez said in a Palace briefing.

Asked for comment on Duterte’s absence in the budget plenary debates, Romualdez said, “Lahat ng mga Congressman may ideas, meron silang opinyon but before tonight we will come into a resolution and that would be the act of the plenary so instead of listening to individual opinions or comments as you know in Congress we act as a consensus, as a collegiate body.”  

Senate President Chiz Escudero said he expected that Senate could pass the General Appropriations Bill in time to give the Office of President enough leeway to review the proposed budget and sign it into law. 

“Halos kasabay kami ng Kamara nagsimula ng pagdinig sa iba’t ibang departamento para sa kanilang GAA sa darating na taon at inaantabayanan namin ang pagbigay sa amin ng approved version ng tinatawag natin na GAB or General Appropriations Bill galing sa Kamara upang magsimula na ang talakayan kaugnay nitong 2025 budget sa plenaryo ng Senado,” Escudero said.

“Sa ngayon on schedule ang mga pandinig ng mga  Komite ng Senado at inaasahan namin na ito ay maaaprubahan ng may sapat na panahon para ito ay mabasa at ma review ng Pangulo kaugnay sa mga line item veto na maaari niyang gawin sa panukalang budget upang maging ganap na batas ito bago matapos ang taon.”

– With reports from Willard Cheng and Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News 

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