Sara stonewalls House questions on disallowed P73M confi funds

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