Vice President Sara Duterte lambasted lawmakers for doing its own audit of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) budget utilization, arguing that government agencies spend millions and billions on projects.
Vice President Sara Duterte speaks before the media in a sit-down interview on Oct. 18, 2024. (Santi San Juan/MANILA BULLETIN)
In a press conference on Friday, Oct. 18, the official hit the House good government committee for doing its own audit of the OVP’s funds when documents have already been submitted to the Commission on Audit (COA).
“Kaya hindi ako sumasagot duon sa kanila kasi sila na 'yung nagau-audit. Hindi naman ‘yan tinanong ng Commission on Audit. Ang hiningi lang ng Commission on Audit, ano iyong documents para sa mga expenditures, so sinubmit namin iyon (The reason why I don’t answer to them is because they’re doing their own audit. The Commission on Audit never asked that. The Commission on Audit only wanted the documents for the expenditures, so we submitted those),” she explained.
The Vice President maintained that they have already complied to COA requirements.
“We fully cooperated and participated, and submitted to the Commission on Audit with regard to the confidential funds,” she added.
Duterte also dismissed questions as to why her office spent P16 million in confidential funds for safe house rentals in 2022, saying that government expenditures go up to millions and even billions for programs.
“Alam nyo, hindi nakakapagtaka sa gobyerno na gumastos ng milyon sa araw-araw (You know, it is not surprising for government to spend millions every day),” she said.
“Sometimes, it's not millions, billions ang pinipirmahan ng mga opisina ng gobyerno para sa projects (are being signed by government offices for projects),” the official added.
The official even recalled signing billions worth of projects for the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was its secretary.
Duterte also accused lawmakers of insinuating that the envelopes supposedly containing cash allegedly received by former DepEd officials Gloria Jumamil Mercado and Resty Osias from her were sourced from the confidential funds.
“Gusto nila kasing palabasin sa mga tao, iyong envelope na iyan, galing ‘yan sa confidential funds. Iyon iyong gusto nilang i-portray sa public. Para iyong perception ng tao: 'Ay hindi talaga ginamit para sa ano' (They want the people to think that the envelope is from the confidential funds. That’s what they want to portray to the public. The perception of the people will be ‘They really don’t use it for')," she said.
The Vice President also answered allegations that during her time as DepEd chief, the agency funded the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Youth Leadership Summits (YLS) when it was the AFP that wholly funded them.
“Ginamit siya supporting information duon sa mga areas kung saan mayroon nakuhang report na at risk ang mga bata (It was used as supporting information in the areas where there were reports about the risks on the youth),” she explained.
What is clear to her, however, is that the House panel is simply fishing for information so the House can justify an impending impeachment case against her.
Duterte said it was clear in the transcript of the hearing that lawmakers were quick to contradict resource persons no matter what they said.
“Walang tamang sagot silang tatanggapin. Kahit ‘yung Commission on Audit na mismo ang nagsabi kung ano ang trabaho nya, hindi nila tinatanggap ang sagot (They won’t accept any answers. Even if the Commission on Audit itself talked about its mandate, they won’t accept the answer),” she said.
“Kasi nga sa simula, sinabi ko, gusto nila mag-impeachment. Hindi nila magawa kasi wala silang kaso for impeachment so ang ginagawa nila diyan nagfi-fishing sila nang nagfi-fishing (Since the start, like what I've said, they want to impeach me. They cannot do so because there is no case for impeachment against me, so they are fishing for information),” she explained.