The Office of the Vice President (OVP) believes that the ongoing probe into the agency's use of funds is "unnecessary" because the matter is already being handled by the Supreme Court (SC), warning about a "constitutional crisis" if lawmakers will continue doing so.
The OVP in a statement Thursday night said that the ongoing legislative inquiry by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is unnecessary "because it does not satisfy the requirement enshrined in the Constitution regarding inquiries in aid of legislation."
"While the OVP recognizes the power of the Lower House to conduct such an inquiry 'in aid of legislation,' the ongoing congressional probe, which stemmed from Privilege Speech No. 379 of the Hon. Rolando Valeriano last September 3, 2024, is not in aid of legislation," it said.
It said that the inquiry "lacks clear legislative objectives or contemplated legislation, which is expected as an outcome of the deliberations.
"The ongoing House inquiry against the OVP cannot ensure that discussions would be germane to the subject matter right from the time of its referral and commencement of the deliberations," it added.
According to the OVP, the Vice President Sara Duterte already attended one of the hearings and issued an explanation why she could not attend the succeeding ones.
The agency said that it is "cautious" about discussing matters that are already pending before the Supreme Court House panel because the OVP "may violate the rule on sub judice, which restricts comments and disclosures pertaining to judicial proceedings."
It said that if the House of Representatives would continue conducting its own inquiry about issues that are already pending before the Supreme Court, it will only create the possibility of conflict between the findings of a legislative committee and the judgment of a judicial tribunal.
"Such conflicts may unnecessarily create a Constitutional Crisis between the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court, which will only prejudice the stability of the nation’s democratic systems and the broader interests of the public we serve," it said.
OVP also said that its expenditures are already being regularly audited by the Commission on Audit, so the allegations being made during House hearings may "easily be verified through reports by the country's state auditors."
"Thus, it becomes completely unnecessary for the House panel to conduct a legislative inquiry into the budget utilization and accomplishment of the OVP," it said.
OVP said it is for the same reasons that the congressional inquiry into matters that are already under audit may also unnecessarily influence the proceedings before COA or create conflict between the lawmakers and the state auditors since COA is an independent constitutional body vested with the primary jurisdiction over the matter.
"Thus, on these premises alone, the inquiry should discontinue," it added.