Hontiveros to VP Sara: I don't need your respect, just your accountability
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday, September 14, shot back against Vice President Sara Duterte saying she doesn’t need her respect, only her response to questions on her office’s use of confidential funds in 2022.
Hontiveros made this response after the vice president singled her out and ACT Party-list Rep. France Castro for questioning her over the matter.
“Hindi ko hinihingi ang respeto mo, VP Sara. Ang hinihingi ko sa iyo, at ng taumbayan, ay accountability,” Hontiveros said.
“Kaya, i-account nyo na lang kung para saan ang hinihingi nyong confidential funds (That’s why, just account for the confidential funds your office has been asking),” the senator reiterated.
“Kung hindi mo kayang irespeto ang mga katrabaho mo, irespeto mo man lang sana ang paggasta ng pera ng bayan (If you cannot respect your work mates, then respect the way you use public money),” she stressed.
Duterte, during an interview at the Cleanergy Park in Punta Dumalag, Davao City, was quoted saying “I do not respect Ms. Castro and Ms. Hontiveros. I have no respect for them.”
The vice president earlier released a statement thanking President Marcos and several officials of his administration for showing support and defending the transfer of the P125-million confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) requested by her office from the Office of the President in December 2022.
This, despite the fact there was no specific item for it under the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the OVP.
Duterte had also rejected the senator’s allegations she wants the OVP to get special treatment.
She claimed she “respected the process” even though she walked out during a House budget hearing while Castro was still raising questions regarding this issue.
Hontiveros, meanwhile reiterated that Duterte should just stop her tirades and explain her use of the confidential funds.
“Higit isang linggo na simula nang naghearing tungkol sa confidential funds, pero mas marami ka pang patutsada kaysa sa paliwanag (It’s been more than a week that lawmakers had a hearing on confidential funds, yet you have launched more criticisms rather than explanations),” Hontiveros noted.