Sara no-show at House plenary on OVP budget

MANILA, Philippines — Saying she had already said her piece and submitted all the required documents in defending the budget of her office, Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday again snubbed a hearing – this time before the plenary – on the OVP’s allocation for next year.

In a letter to the OVP’s budget sponsor Rep. Zia Adiong dated Sept. 11, Duterte said she is confident about the strength of her proposal and that she leaves the final judgment on the matter entirely in the hands of lawmakers.

She added that her presentation before the House appropriations committee last Aug. 27, where she clashed with some panel members, was already sufficient.

During previous hearings, Duterte refused to give details on questionable disbursements by her office, saying lawmakers were just laying the groundwork for her impeachment.

But lawmakers said Duterte’s behavior was brazen disrespect for the principle of check and balance enshrined in the Constitution.

“In consideration of the foregoing, the OVP leaves the deliberation of our budget proposal in the plenary entirely to the pleasure of the House of Representatives,” Duterte wrote.

Duterte and representatives of the OVP skipped the committee’s Sept. 10 budget deliberations. She went on the defensive when lawmakers cited audit reports that flagged irregularities and mismanaged funds of the OVP and DepEd.

Concerns raised by committee members include the questionable spending of P73 million from the P125-million OVP confidential funds, as flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) in 2022.

Duterte said her critics misunderstood her behavior during the deliberations, and stressed her office could still function even with “zero” budget.

“Our office is small. Our operations are small, so we can afford to work even without a budget. We know that’s all part of the attack. So, we will continue to do what we need to do for the people,” Duterte said earlier.

The OVP is proposing a P2.037-billion budget for 2025, the lion’s share of which would be allocated to socio-economic programs such as the medical, burial, livelihood, disaster, school supplies and educational assistance.

Duterte earlier challenged concerns over supposed duplication of the OVP’s programs with those of national government agencies, saying no government entity “has a monopoly of government services.”

Disappointed

House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan could not hide his disappointment over Duterte’s absence during the plenary, particularly amid reports that she had been vacationing at Calaguas Island over the weekend.

Libanan emphasized the long-standing tradition that office heads personally attend such important budget hearings.

The minority leader voiced concern over Duterte’s absence, pointing out that without proper explanation, it raises questions about the transparency and accountability of her office’s budget.

“Where is our Vice President?’ We were scheduled for 10 a.m. but there has been no valid explanation,” he said, clearly frustrated by the lack of communication from the OVP.

Although a staff member was sent in her place, Libanan noted that there was no written authorization for the representative, which he called a critical breach of protocol in such deliberations.

Libanan underscored the importance of budget hearings in ensuring transparency, accountability, and proper use of public funds.

He warned that discussions on the OVP’s budget might be postponed if Duterte continues to be absent, noting that the deadline for hearings is fast approaching.

Libanan said the minority is open to reviewing any potential budget cuts for the OVP but emphasized the need for a thorough discussion and explanation from the majority.

‘Squid tactic’

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said Duterte’s surpise visit to former vice president Leni Robredo in Naga City was apparently part of her “squid tactic” to divert public attention from her alleged misuse of her budget.

Castro said the public should not be “sidetracked by these maneuvers” of the Vice President.

“While the visit is described as personal and not political, we must remain vigilant and focused on the more significant issue at hand – holding Vice President Duterte accountable for the P125 million in confidential funds spent over just 11 days in 2022,” she said.

“The public deserves transparency and accountability, particularly on matters involving public funds. The questions surrounding the use of these confidential funds must be addressed and clarified,” she pointed out.

Castro maintained that the Vice President should emulate her predecessor, who faced budget hearings and plenary deliberations during her term.

“We must concentrate on demanding accountability and transparency from our leaders. This is crucial for democracy and governance,” she added.

Meanwhile, Camarines Sur third district Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. expressed both optimism and concern over the proposed 2025 national budget, citing widening fiscal deficit and heavy reliance on debt.

The proposed P6.3-trillion budget represents 21 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

“The proposed 2025 national budget clearly aims to address pressing national priorities by prioritizing key sectors like education, health care, social services and infrastructure. This is essential for achieving the government’s goals of economic and social transformation,” he said.

“However, as the budget grows, so does the fiscal deficit, raising concerns about the sustainability of government spending. This gap between expenditure and revenue must be addressed, or it could force us into excessive borrowing,” Bordado warned.

“The disconnect between budget growth and actual improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens underscores the need for more efficient and targeted allocation of resources,” Bordado, the assistant minority leader, said.

“Vigilant and thorough scrutiny is essential to maximize the impact of public spending and ensure that the benefits of economic recovery are felt by all Filipinos,” he said.

Impeachment

As Duterte’s alleged misuse of her budget unravels, militant groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan are calling for the impeachment of Duterte.

“Impeaching Sara Duterte is crucial to upholding transparency and accountability in governance. Her refusal to answer questions about these issues during budget hearings shows a blatant disregard for the principles of good governance,” Bayan said in a statement.

The group also criticized Duterte’s response to the allegations, accusing her of using “squid tactics” to evade accountability and vilifying her critics instead of addressing the concerns raised.

“Duterte treated public funds like a personal trust fund, distributing them for political mileage while ignoring the widespread hunger and poverty in the country. Such behavior makes her grossly unfit to remain in office,” the group said.

Bayan announced that it would conduct a series of protests throughout the week, culminating in a nationwide Black Friday noise barrage on Sept. 27 to amplify their call for impeachment.

Bayan emphasized that impeaching Duterte would serve as a warning to all public officials that being elected to power does not grant them a license to commit serious misconduct.

“This is about setting a precedent that no one is above the law and that the people demand accountability from their leaders,” the group said. — Sheila Crisostomo, Mark Ernest Villeza