VP Sara won't bow before House inquisition

First word

IT took courage and firmness of mind for Vice President Sara Duterte to refuse to testify or take the oath last week at a public hearing by the House Committee on Accountability and question the very basis of the inquiry.

Many were startled by her action. The public is mesmerized by the spectacle of the competitive hearings that are simultaneously being conducted by the House of Representatives and the Senate.

And public interest is highest when the vice president is the main feature as either a resource person or witness.

Members of Congress literally salivate over the prospect of grilling her about something potentially embarrassing to her, like the 2025 proposed budget or confidential funds for her office.

By refusing to be interrogated, the vice president has drawn a red line against the relentless inquisition on her office.

According to author and political strategist Dick Morris, in his book «Power Plays» (Harpers Collins, New York, 2002), standing your ground or standing on principle is one of the principal strategies that effective leaders use to surmount difficulties that successful leaders have used to achieve victory. He cited Churchill, De Gaulle and Lincoln as examples.

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In her case, VP Sara declared this is where I stand, and I suspect that the Constitution will be by her side.

When she flatly refused to take the oath and declined to serve as a witness, the committee was left in a quandary about what to do next. Presumably, the hearing was aborted because the star witness copped out.

Critics may fret as much as they like about another bratty display by Sara. But in truth, the vice president was perfectly right to express her exasperation with the persistent inquisition by the Congress into the affairs of the vice presidency. She also has a duty to defend and protect her constitutional office.

Elected by a clear majority of voters

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In judging this drama, the media and the public will do well to bear a few things in mind.

First, we should remember that there are only two officials in our government who have been elected by the direct vote of a clear majority of Filipino voters.

One is Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the