Duterte defends Sara on confidential funds

DAVAO CITY , Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte came to his daughter’s defense yesterday amid controversies on her request for confidential funds.

In his Gikan sa Masa para sa Masa TV program yesterday, Duterte insinuated that Speaker Martin Romualdez is behind the attacks on Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte.

The former president defended his daughter’s proposed P500-million confidential fund, which Congress did not approve.

He said he had read the rationale of the Office of the Vice President on how the funds would be spent and saw nothing wrong with it.

“She will be spending it on strengthening the PMT (preparatory military training) in high school to instill a love for the country among the youth,” Duterte said.

The money, he said, would be used for conducting seminars, field trips and other activities that would ignite nationalism among the youth.

In jest, he advised Sara to be more candid on the real reason how she would use the money – “to rid Congress of communists.”

Duterte said his daughter this early is perceived as a good candidate for president in the 2028 general elections.

“But I am saying now that Inday (Sara), as far as I am concerned, should not run for president,” Duterte said.

“Tama na ’yang vice president, maganda na iyan. Ibigay na niya ’yan sa iba (Being vice president is good enough, she should give way to others),” Duterte said, noting that there are others interested in the highest position of the land, like Romualdez.

Duterte said Romualdez has been giving out funds to congressmen as the Speaker is poised to run for president in the next elections.

He said he would demand an audit of the funds disbursed by Romualdez.

Duterte urged the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a formal audit on the pork barrel funds and the amounts of money given out by Romualdez.

“This Romualdez, Speaker… has been feeding congressmen with cash, but I say, he should be audited,” Duterte said in Filipino. “Because the Speaker is poised to run for president. Well and good.”

Duterte stressed that Romualdez has been his friend even before Ferdinand Marcos Jr. became president.

“Seemed you’ve said you want to be (president). I said