Duterte attends House quad body probe on father’s drug war

Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte unexpectedly attended as a spectator the House quad committee hearing on her father’s bloody drug war on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

The vice president’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was the main resource person.

Duterte came from the Senate plenary deliberations on her P733-million budget proposal for 2025.

In a press briefing at the Senate, the vice president said she does not expect a fair hearing for her father at the House of Representatives.

“It’s clearly a political persecution…Pagdating naman kay President Duterte, iyong kanya naman is iyong paghahabol sa kanya ng ICC, paghahabol sa kanya sa alleged EJKs ng administration niya…siguro kapag hinahabol ka, mayroon silang gustong mawala sa iyo,” she said.

[Translation: It’s clearly a political persecution... As for President Duterte, what’s happening with him is the pursuit by the ICC (International Criminal Court), their pursuit of him regarding the alleged EJKs (extrajudicial killings) under his administration... Maybe when they’re after you, it’s because they want something to be taken from you.]

The former president attended the House inquiry for the first time, weeks after he appeared at a similar Senate investigation.

Lawmaker: Show up at our hearing instead

Meanwhile, France Castro, Duterte’s vocal critic and ACT Teacher’s party-list representative, challenged the vice president to show up in the inquiries related to her controversial fund use.

Duterte has skipped a number of House hearings on her budget spending, claiming that deliberations are not in aid of legislation.

“VP Duterte should instead attend the good government and public accountability hearings and truthfully answer how she spent the confidential funds of the OVP (Office of the Vice President) and the DepEd (Department of Education),” said Castro.

The Commission on Audit earlier said it disallowed around ₱73 million out of the OVP’s ₱125-million confidential funds in 2022.

Meanwhile, ₱112.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds of the education department in 2023 remain unaccounted for.

A number of DepEd officials also told lawmakers they received cash envelopes during Duterte’s tenure. – With reports from Daniza Fernandez and Eimor Santos