Sara moves to terminate fund misuse probe

MANILA, Philippines —  Vice President Sara Duterte appeared at yesterday’s hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability, but refused to take her oath and requested the committee to terminate the hearing on the past expenditures of her office.

From the start of the hearing, Duterte appeared defiant, saying her invitation did not indicate that she is a “witness,” citing the House of Representatives’ rules.

“It says in the rules that only witnesses take their oath. Now you are saying we are resource persons,” she noted.

Duterte’s refusal was a break in the rules and tradition of resource persons attending House hearings. Even former presidents Fidel Ramos and Benigno Aquino III took their oath when invited as resource persons during a congressional inquiry.

In response to this, panel chair and Manila Rep. Joel Chua said that everyone invited is considered a resource persons and witness.

This was questioned by former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a known ally of the Vice President, who invoked a Supreme Court ruling that “there is a difference between a mere witness and the accused.”

“It can appear from statements and privileged speeches that … she (Duterte) is, in fact, accused of what seems to be a criminal case for violation of certain criminal laws, including malversation of public funds,” she added.

Arroyo maintained the ruling stipulates that the right of the accused against self incrimination also applies to “respondents in administrative investigations such as legislative inquiries.”

Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores then informed Arroyo that no person invited to the hearing could be classified as an accused yet.

Chua nevertheless allowed Duterte not to take her oath if she did not want to.

After this, the committee allowed Duterte to make her official statement, where she categorically denied allegations of corruption in the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

The Vice President claimed that the hearing was part of an orchestrated attack against her and that the real objective was to impeach her.

According to Duterte, it was clear to her that the inquiry is not about misused funds, accountability or