DAVAO CITY – Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte confirmed on Friday, Nov. 22, that his sister Vice President Sara Duterte will temporarily occupy his office at the House of Representatives for an indefinite period.
The lawmaker informed House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chairman Manila Rep. Joel Chua in a letter that he allowed Vice President Duterte to use his office to oversee matters concerning her chief of staff currently detained in the building.
Rep. Duterte said her indefinite stay is aligned with her visits to Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez along with other personnel from the Office of the Vice President held under the Office of the House Sergeant-at-Arms.
“I have allowed Vice President Duterte – who is not only the Vice President but also a proud constituent of the First District of Davao City – to temporarily use my office to ensure she can continue performing her duties to the Filipino people without interruption,” Rep. Duterte said.
Rep. Duterte said he believes that as long as his office is used for legitimate purposes, it should be accessible to anyone who seeks to advance the country’s welfare. He added that his office is open to anyone – ordinary employee or Vice President – who have a valid reason for using it.
"My office in the House of Representatives is not mine alone – it is a space owned and paid for by the Filipino people, especially by the hardworking taxpayers of the first district of Davao City. It exists to serve the public,” Rep. Duterte said.
As a public servant, the lawmaker said he understands the challenges of serving the nation, and what he did was just a small gesture of support to help the Vice President address those challenges effectively.
He added that he trusts that his constituents in the first district will understand and even take pride in knowing that their office has become a venue for serving the broader interests of the country.
“The offices we hold are not permanent. By 2025, many of us incumbents in Congress may no longer be here. That is the nature of public service – the people decide who stays and who goes,” Rep. Duterte said.
“This reality reminds us that the spaces we occupy are not for personal gain but are meant to serve the public, however temporarily. Let us always remember that these offices belong to the people,” he added.
Rep. Duterte, who guaranteed that no illegal acts or unlawful activities shall be committed by the Vice President and staff, said by allowing them to use the office, they were able to reinforce the principle that public service must always take precedence over personal interests.
The lawmaker vowed to stay committed to ensuring that his office will always be open to those who genuinely aim to contribute to the welfare and progress of the Filipino people. He said his decision reflects not just his personal commitment to serving the public but also the values of the people he represents.
“Together, let us continue prioritizing the needs of the nation above all else," said Rep. Duterte after Vice President Duterte spent the night at his office to visit his staff who was cited for contempt by a House panel and was ordered detained for five days.
House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, and Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said Sergeant-at-Arms Napoleon Taas requested Vice President Duterte to vacate the House after 10 p.m. But she opted to stay.