Vice President Sara Duterte (left), Majority Leader Zamboanga City 1st district Rep. Mannix Dalipe (Facebook)

Stop using the victim card.

Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe gave this message to Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, Nov. 21, even as he reiterated his call for the latter to appear in the House probe on her alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs).

“Huwag kang pa-victim. Tama na ang pambubudol (Don't act like the victim. Stop your deception)," Dalipe said in a statement.

"The Vice President should stop using her staff as human shields. It is about time she face Congress, answer the questions and stop blaming others for her failures and fear of accountability,” Dalipe said of his fellow Mindanaoan. 

The Majority Leader was reacting to Duterte’s remarks that her staff and officials--whom she described as non-politicians--did not deserve the scrutiny brought by the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability's investigation into the alleged misuse of confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd).

“Instead of addressing the questions head-on, Vice President Duterte spins a narrative to paint herself as a victim of political persecution. The truth is, this isn’t about politics—it’s about accountability,” Dalipe emphasized.

Despite receiving an invitation for the Nov. 20 hearing of the panel, Vice President Duterte no-showed it. Appearing instead was OVP Chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez, who ended up getting cited for contempt and detained at the House of Representatives.

This was due to Lopez's evasive answers and apparent attempts to shield herself from accountability, the majority leader said.

Dalipe dismissed Duterte’s remarks as “yet another budol tactic from the Vice President".

“The Vice President has been hiding while letting her staff take the heat. This is pure cowardice disguised as victimhood,” Dalipe added.

The good government panel, also known as the House Blue Ribbon Committee, has conducted six hearings to investigate the questionable use of confidential funds by the OVP and DepEd.

Out of the six hearings of the panel so far, the Vice President has only attended the first hearing, wherein she refused to take her oath. She also left early during that particular hearing.

“Why has she refused to appear again? Instead, she sends career officials who have no personal knowledge of how these funds were used,” Dalipe pointed out.

He said Duterte’s "continuous evasion and attempts to shield her actions only prove there’s something Duterte doesn’t want the public to know".

“Seeking the truth is not an attack—it is our responsibility as public officials entrusted with the people’s money,” he pointed out.