A COMBATIVE Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday refused to answer lawmakers’ questions on the notice of disallowance that the Commission on Audit (COA) has issued to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for its use of confidential funds in 2022, causing tensions to rise during the budget hearing on the OVP’s proposed budget for 2025.
The Vice President consistently stonewalled inquiries on the details of the COA’s findings, saying it is up to the House of Representatives to decide on her office’s P2.037 billion budget proposal.
“I would like to forego the opportunity to defend the budget in a question-and-answer format. I will leave it up to the House to decide on the budget submitted,” Duterte said repeatedly almost every time she answered a lawmaker.
The Vice President had a heated exchange with members of the Makabayan bloc and administration-allied lawmakers, including panel senior vice chair Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, whom she all accused of following a “script” anchored on her alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Duterte, a lawyer, was told to respect the panel and Quimbo after she repeatedly questioned her rulings and the rules of the House despite not being a member of the chamber. Duterte was also repeatedly told that she has no right to raise motions because she is not a congresswoman.
At one point, the Vice President even requested that panel chair Rep. Zaldy Co (PL, Ako Bicol), one of her critics, be the one to preside over the budget hearing.
“Please respect (the panel). You are not allowed to do that,” Quimbo told Duterte. “You are not allowed to introduce a motion, you are a resource person, madame Vice President.”
A mild-tempered Quimbo also had to remind the Vice President that she has to answer the questions of House members and observe decorum when responding to lawmakers, who have the power of the purse as enshrined under the Constitution.
“This is an important part of the budget briefing. The General Appropriations Act is arguably the most important piece of legislation every year, at kasama po ito, ang pagtatanong at pakikinig sa sagot ninyo (and that includes asking questions and listening to you),” said Quimbo, adding that Duterte’s decision to just offer the same answer would be “acceptable” as long as she answers directly.
COA DISALLOWANCE
Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT), a member of the militant Makabayan bloc, raised the issue of the notice of disallowance (ND) that COA issued on the OVP’s P73.2 million expenditure, which is part of its P125 million confidential fund for 2022.
The ND was issued following the OVP’s “non-submission of documents evidencing the success of information-gathering and/or surveillance activities to support acknowledgment receipts for payments of rewards in cash, various goods and medicines” that totaled to P69.7 million
COA said the amount is comprised of P10 million for reward payments, P34.8 million for payments of rewards through various goods, and P24.9 million for the payment of rewards through medicines.
The rest of the P73.2 million, worth P3.5 million, covered payments for tables, chairs, desktop computers and printers “without specifying that they were intended for the confidential operations/activities undertaken by the OVP,” which COA said is non-compliant with the requirements.
The COA directed Duterte and Special Disbursing Officer Gina F. Acosta and Chief Accountant Julieta L. Villadelrey of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) “to settle immediately the said disallowance.”
It said Duterte is liable for approving the transaction, including the utilization of the cash advance, Acosta for acting as the payee and disbursing the cash advance, and Villadelrey for certifying that the supporting documents were complete and proper.
“Ang comment ko lang is mas mabilis siya sa confidential funds (My only comment is she’s quick to spend confidential funds),” said Castro, noting that the P125 million was spent in just 11 days.
The comment infuriated Duterte, who told Quimbo that she should also be allowed to respond with a “snide” comment since the chair allowed a panel member to make such allegation.
“Since you allowed her snide comment, you will allow me a snide comment as well,” the Vice President told Quimbo, prompting Castro to say, “Parang siya nagpe-preside (It’s like she’s the one presiding).”
After she was officially recognized to speak, the Vice President asked the panel why “a person convicted of child abuse is still sitting in a seat (in Congress),” a comment which did not sit well with Rep. Raoul Manuel (PL, Kabataan), also a member of the Makabayan bloc, who accused Duterte of trying to divert the issues against her.
The Vice President was referring to the verdict of a Tagum City court in Davao del Norte convicting Castro, former Bayan Muna Rep. Ocampo and 11 other respondents for child abuse for allegedly holding 14 minor students during their solidarity mission in Talaingod, Davao del Norte in November 2018.
Duterte then proceeded to question the panel’s rules, asking Quimbo which rules are being used during budget deliberations, prompting the lawmaker to say, “The rules adopted by the Committee on Appropriations.”
Quimbo told the Vice President that the only rules that concerns her is the chair’s recognition of her right to reply and the termination of the hearing.
Duterte, who continued to stonewall, said the panel should not ask her about the COA findings because “discussions should be germane to the topic,” which she said is the 2025 budget proposal of the OVP, which does not have an item for CF.
She also took offense at Castro’s statement that the notice of disallowance has rendered the expenditure under question “illegal,” which means “it is not in accordance with COA circular.”
“Madame chair you should not allow a member of the House to claim it is illegal,” Duterte said, adding that the OVP is complying with COA’s procedure in explaining the use of the funds.
COA Assistant Commissioner Alexander Juliano explained that the findings are not yet final and the OVP may still appeal it and even raise it before the Supreme Court.
Former president Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, an ally of the Vice President, said the panel can only question issues about an agency’s performance that happened the previous fiscal year and since the confidential funds in question falls under the 2022 budget, “to my mind, it has been laid to rest.”
Another Duterte ally, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab said the House cannot compel the Vice President to answer because the issue does not concern legislation but accountability, which is with the COA.
Castro later slammed what she said was Duterte’s “squid tactics.” “Kapag nasusukol na ang pusit, naglalabas na ng (itim na) tinta… ugaling pusit ang OVP (When a squid is cornered, it spews out black ink… the OVP’s attitude is like that of a squid).”
Addressing Quimbo, Duterte then blurted out: “Pusit? Napaka one-sided. Dahil ba marami kayo diyan sa kabila at nag-iisa ako dito? (Squid? You’re being too one-sided. Is it because a lot of you are here and I’m alone?”
Lawmakers then took turns questioning Duterte, but her demeanor remained unchanged while offering another pro-forma response on the COA’s findings: “We have submitted our responses, and we assure the public of our cooperation with the ongoing audit.”
Lawmakers deferred the hearing on the OVP’s budget on the motion of Zambales Rep. Jeffrey Konghun, who assailed the Vice President for disrespecting the panel.
“I would like to thank the VP for showing true colors to the House and lack of respect for check and balances and separation of powers and accountability. We are a republic, we don’t have a king or a queen. Now, madame chair, dahil di naman masagot ni VP Sara ‘yung mga katanungan ng miyembro (since VP Sara can’t answer the questions of members), may I move now to defer the hearing of the budget of the OVP,” said Konghun, whose motion was carried.
The next hearing on the OVP’s budget will be held on September 10 at 9 a.m.
