Former president Rodrigo Duterte (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)

A desperate political move.

That's how ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel interpreted Vice President Sara Duterte's move to tap her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, as her lawyer in the impeachment complaints against her.

Castro, Brosas, and Manuel comprise the leftist Makabayan bloc, which has no love lost with the Dutertes.

"We, the Makabayan bloc representatives in Congress, view Vice President Sara Duterte's move to tap her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, as her lawyer in the impeachment complaints as nothing but a desperate political maneuver to evade accountability for her misuse of confidential funds," the group said in a statement Thursday, Dec. 26.

Makabayan said that, instead of directly addressing the serious allegations of fund misuse and providing transparency to the Filipino people, the Vice President continues to employ diversionary tactics. 

"Imbes na sagutin nang diretso ang mga tanong ukol sa pag-misuse ng confidential funds, nagtatago pa sa likod ng kanyang ama (Instead of directly answering the questions on the misuse of confidential funds, she is hiding behind her father). This is clearly a desperate attempt to rally political support following her declining satisfaction ratings," said Castro.

Brosas reminded the elder Duterte that he has problems of his own, and very serious ones at that.

"The Vice President seems to assume her father is free to defend her, forgetting that he himself faces potential charges for violations of International Humanitarian Law, whether in local courts as per the [quad-comm's] recommendation or at the International Criminal Court (ICC)," Brosas emphasized.

Manuel agreed with his militant colleagues that the Duterte team-up was merely for show.

"This father-and-daughter legal team-up is nothing but political theater. Ang dapat gawin ni VP Sara ay sagutin ang mga alegasyon ng malversation at hindi ang gumawa ng mga political spectacle (Instead of creating a political spectacle, what VP Sara should do is to answers the allegations of malversation)," Manuel added.

The Makabayan solons further said: "We call on Vice President Duterte to stop these diversionary tactics and face the allegations head-on. The Filipino people deserve nothing less than complete transparency and accountability from their public officials, especially concerning the use of public funds."

Three impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte have been filed this month before the secretary general of the House of Representatives. One of these complaints were endorsed by the Makabayan bloc.

Secretary General Reginald Velasco has yet to transmit the complaints to the Offce of the House Speaker. 

This means that the impeachment raps have yet to be taken up by the House Committee on Justice.