Duterte to skip House inquiry on confidential funds again

Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte said on Friday, Nov. 15, she has no plans of attending the next scheduled inquiry of the House committee on good government and public accountability on her budget spending.

In a chance interview at the sidelines of the agency’s 89th anniversary in Mandaluyong City, Duterte said she intends to submit instead an affidavit about her confidential fund use.

The vice president personally accepted the House invitation during the quad committee probe on her father’s bloody drug war on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

Duterte said she only received an invitation from the committee once.

“Pumunta ako, umupo ako doon. Hindi man nila ako tinanong. Kung nakikita, niyo nakaupo lang ako doon. Nasasayang iyong oras ko,” she said.

[Translation: I went there, I sat there. They didn’t even ask me. If you could see, I just sat there. My time was wasted]

Committee chairperson and Manila Rep. Joel Chua refuted Duterte’s claims, saying the panel made “extensive efforts” to reach out to the vice president.

He said Duterte was invited to the first and second hearings.

“She declined to attend the third, fourth, and fifth hearings scheduled on Oct. 17, Nov. 5, and Nov. 11, after submitting a formal letter stating she would not be present,” Chua was quoted as saying in a press release.

“We have done our part to ensure she has a platform to address these issues in full view of the public. Now, the choice is hers: attend and clarify, or refuse and raise further doubts,” he added.

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

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 education officials also told lawmakers they received cash envelopes during Duterte’s tenure.