Sarah vs Sara: Elago rejects VP Duterte's 'lecture' on corruption
At A Glance
- House Assistant Minority Leader Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago slammed on Monday afternoon, Dec. 1 Vice President Sara Duterte for speaking against corruption, as she claimed that the latter was "not in the position" to do so.
Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook)
House Assistant Minority Leader Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago slammed on Monday afternoon, Dec. 1 Vice President Sara Duterte for speaking against corruption, as she claimed that the latter was "not in the position" to do so.
"We, in Gabriela Women’s Party, welcome every call for clean and transparent governance — but these words must be matched by unquestionable integrity, not contradicted by one’s own record," Elago said in a statement.
"Vice President Sara Duterte is not in the position to lecture the public on corruption when she herself remains embroiled in serious allegations of misuse of public funds," noted the militant congresswoman.
"Hindi pa po nakakalimutan ng taumbayan ang ₱125 million confidential funds ng OVP (Office of the Vice President (OVP) na naubos sa loob lamang ng 11 araw (The people have not yet forgotten the ₱125 million confidential funds of the OVP that were spent in only 11 days)," Elago said.
The Gabriela reckoned that one's conviction on fighting corruption can't be measured by "flowery words" alone.
"The people deserve leaders who uphold transparency every step of the way, not those who benefit from this rotten system — a system that allows political patronage, and the concentration of power and resources in the hands of a few," Elago said.
"We will not allow corruption to hide behind grand speeches or recycled slogans. We will fight for full transparency in all branches of government, the abolition of pork barrel funds, and genuine accountability even from the two highest officials in the country," said the pro-women legislator.
"Kung seryoso tayo sa paglilinis ng sistema, dapat magsimula ito sa mga nasa tuktok ng kapangyarihan (If we are serious about cleansing the system, it must begin with those at the top of power)," Elago further said.
The confidential funds issue was among the grounds cited by House of Representatives members in the previous 19th Congress when they impeached Vice President Duterte.