4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Vice President Sara Duterte better have a very good explanation for her absence Monday, Sept. 23 from what should have been the House plenary debate on the proposed P2.037-billion 2025 budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP). 

Thus, said House Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan in an impromptu press briefing wherein he was left scratching his head over the Vice President’s decision to skip the proceedings. 

"Napaka-unusual po ito, sana may magandang explanation siya at valid expalanation dahil hindi pa po ito nangyayari, ngayon pa lang ito mang yayari sa ating budget hearing," Libanan told House reporters. 

(This is very unusual, I hope she has a really good explanation and valid explanation because this is unprecedented, this is the first time that this will happen in the budget hearing.) 

Asked if he condemns Vice President Duterte's apparent disregard of the House, Libanan said: "Bago ko sabihin po yan, kailangan mag-explain muna bago natin sabihin, mag-explain bakit wala siya dito, saka tayo mag-condemn kung anuman." 

(Before I say that, there must first be an explanation, an explanation of why she isn't here, and they we will make a condemnation.) 

The lady official's no-show Monday coincided with reports and photos that she was on a beach in Calaguas Island, Camarines Norte over the weekend. Libanan acknowledged the reporters. 

"Pero weekend naman yun. At ang importante ngayong araw, napakahalaga po ang budget hearing dahil ito po yung pinakamalaking piece of legislation." 

(But that was during the weekend. And what's important is today, the budget hearings are very important because this is the biggest piece of legislation.) 

The OVP budget was supposed to be tackled first at 10 a.m. Monday, but the non-appearance of anybody from the agency prompted plenary to discuss the other budgets listed for the day. 

Libanan said that chances are, the plenary will defer the OVP budget to Tuesday, and again to Wednesday, if necessary, or until a proper defense of the outlay can be carried out. 

READ THIS: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/23/did-vp-duterte-skip-house-budget-debate-for-beach-trip-ortega-wants-to-know

By Wednesday, the final session day before a month-long recess--the congressmen will have to make a decision on what to do with Vice President Duterte's 2025 budget. 

Libanan said it would all be up to the majority bloc. 

There had been proposals to slash the OVP budget by as much as 63 percent, or down to P733 million, mostly due to the Vice President’s failure to explain her usage of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs). 

Libanan further said that the letter sent by the OVP to its budget sponsor, Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, wasn't enough to account for the Vice President’s absence. 

"Hindi pa rin po. Dahil ang kaugalian, yung tradition is part of the rules of the House. Ang kaugalian po dito sa budget hearing na pag ikaw ang head of the office of the department ay kailangan ang personal presence mo," the minority leader said. 

(It's not enough. The custom, the tradition is part of the rules of the House. The custom says that if you're the head of the office of the department, then your personal presence is needed here.) 

The OVP's letter to Adiong read: "The OVP leaves the distribution of our budget proposal in the plenary entirely to the pleasure of the House of Representatives."