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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bato to VP Sara's critics: Sue her if you have evidence she misused CIFs

Bato to VP Sara's critics: Sue her if you have evidence she misused CIFs

Published Oct 8, 2023 08:33 am

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Sunday, October 8 challenged vocal critics of Vice President Sara Duterte to file cases against her if they have solid evidence that she misused and abused the use of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs).

As far as he is concerned, Dela Rosa said he sees nothing wrong with how Duterte spent her office’s CIF when she was still the mayor in Davao City.

The Commission on Audit (COA) had earlier disclosed that Davao City was the biggest spender of confidential funds among the country’s cities and municipalities between 2016 and 2022, raising the eyebrows of critics who also questioned the proposed CIFs of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) for 2024.

Both the OVP and the DepEd are under the helm of the vice president, who first served as Davao city mayor before she ran and won the vice presidency during the 2022 national elections.

Duterte proposed P150-million CIF for DepEd and P500-million for the OVP.

“Wala ako nakita mali ginawa, kung may nakita ako, sasabihan ko sya mali yan day, napakaganda ng kanyang hangarin na maiwasan ang kabataan na marecruit sa armado, CPP-NPA, lahat tayo parents gusto natin (I don’t see anything wrong with what she did. If there is, I will tell her personally that that is illegal. Her aspiration to prevent the youth from being recruited by militant groups is noble, all of us parents want that),” Dela Rosa said in an interview on Radio DZBB.

The senator, a known ally of the vice president, said it is only normal for her to criticize those who question her use of CIF.

“Well, sino ba di magagalit na yun pag (who wouldn’t get angry once you) question, it is tantamount to accusing you of corruption and malpractices,” he said.

“Normal lang sa tao yan na mag react (It’s only normal for a person to react) in that manner. Kung may ebidensya tayo na ibinulsa, kasuhan natin. Ako mismo kahit close na close si VP, parang kapatid, kung may ebidensya kasuhan natin (If there is evidence that she pocketed money, then file charges. I myself, even if I am close to the VP like a sibling, if there is evidence, I will sue her),” he pointed out.

Dela Rosa also reiterated his support to the vice president’s earlier statements that those who are opposed to her proposed CIF are opposed to peace.

“May punto siya dyan. Nakita mo sino nagkukumahog mawala ang CIF ay mga kaliwa, at kaalyado ng kaliwa. Sino ba tatamanan ng CIF? Alam natin gagamitin ni VP Sara yung CIF sa kaliwa (She has a point. You can clearly see that those who are insisting on removing her CIF are the leftist groups. Who else would be hit by the CIF? We know that VP Sara will use the funds against them),” he pointed out.

Related Tags

confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) Sara Duterte ronald bato dela rosa Vice President Sara Duterte
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