ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (left), and Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB, Facebook)

An "empty boast". 

That's how Makabayan solon ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro described Vice President Sara Duterte's statement that she did not request any confidential funds for 2025. 

"Why should she request for confidential funds when her office is not mandated to have such funds? Besides, she is just afraid that Congress will again take it away along with other civilian agencies that are not mandated for confidential funds," Castro said in a statement Monday, July 1. 

Moreover, Castro noted that the Vice President still has unresolved issues regarding her previous use of confidential funds. 

"Also up till now she has not satisfactorily explained the P125 million confidential funds she illegally acquired and spent in 11 days in 2022. She also has to account how she spent her confidential funds in 2023," said the deputy minority leader. 

The militant legislator warned that Vice President Duterte's recent announcement does not absolve her of responsibility for past actions. "Kaya huwag nyang ipagmalaki na hindi sya nagrequest ng confidential funds sa susunod na budget, she is not off the hook yet," Castro said. 

(That's why she should not boast that she didn't request for confidential funds in the next budget.) 

Castro called for a thorough investigation into the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and other civilian agencies, and at the same time emphasizes the need for transparency and accountability in government spending.