VP Sara faces House probe, maintains no fund misuse

Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday faced a House committee hearing on the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) and other issues regarding the use of her office's budget where she categorically denied misuse of public funds.

"I am appearing before you today not only as the head of office, but more importantly as the newly authorized representative of all officials of the OVP (Office of the Vice President). Simply because we have not done anything wrong," Duterte told the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, the chamber's counterpart to the Senate blue ribbon panel.

"There is no misuse of funds. If there are audit findings, we will gladly respond to them before the Commission on Audit. And if there are legitimate cases to be filed, then we will gladly respond to them before the appropriate courts in relation to this," Duterte added. 

No taking of oath

Duterte, however, refused to take oath, saying she is just a resource person and not a witness, which is required to take oath under House rules.

"Yes [I did not take the oath and], rightly so. Kasi nagpadala sila ng rules at pinag-aralan ko 'yung rules nila. Nakalagay doon sa rules nila na witnesses lang yung mago-oath. Eh, paulit-ulit na sinabi kanina na resource person ako," Duterte told reporters in a chance interview after she was allowed by the House panel to leave the proceedings since she refused to take an oath.
(I studied their rules, and it states that the taking an oath is for witnesses. They repeatedly said that I am a resource person.)

"So, sabi ko, bakit naman ako mago-oath na resource person ang sinabi sa akin. Malaki po ang pinakaiba ng witness at resource person," Duterte, a lawyer, added.

(Why would I take oath when I am told that I am a resource person. There’s a huge difference between a witness and a resource person.)

Arroyo

Prior to Duterte leaving the proceedings, her position not to take an oath was shared by former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and SAGIP party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta. Both said the Vice President cannot be forced to make statements that could incriminate her since she is already stands as an accused.

"The Constitution provides that no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself. The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized that there is a difference between a mere witness and the accused," Arroyo said.

"And it can appear from statements and privileged speeches that a person who is the subject matter of an adverse privileged speech is not a mere witness or a mere person of interest, meaning a suspect. She is, in fact, accused of what seems to be a criminal case for violation of certain criminal laws, including malversation of public funds," Arroyo added.

Arroyo also cited a 2007 Supreme Court decision that she said stated that "an accused occupies a different tier of protection from an ordinary witness."

“Whereas an ordinary witness may be compelled to take the witness stand and claim the privilege of each question requiring an incriminating answer is shot at him, an accused may altogether refuse to take the witness stand and refuse to answer any or all questions," the former President said.

"The court explained that the right of the accused against self-incrimination also applies to respondents in administrative investigations such as legislative inquiries in aid of legislation. So that is the point of order I am raising and there is a Supreme Court ruling to this effect," she added.

'Political attack'

During the hearing, which stemmed from Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano's privilege speech assailing Duterte's refusal to cooperate in explaining how OVP is utilizing its budget, the Vice President maintained that the House of Representatives is not after accountability but just wants to destroy her chances in a possible election bid in 2028.

"What we are witnessing now is no ordinary legislative inquiry. This exercise is a well-funded and coordinated political attack, evident from the very words of the privileged speech that prompted this inquiry," she said.

According to Duterte, the speech "simply meant to say, do not vote for Sara in 2028."

"It is clear to me that this inquiry is not about misused funds, accountability, or governance. Instead, it is solely aimed at discrediting my name and my office to prevent future political contests," she said.

"Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ang budget ang puntirya ninyo dahil napakadali naman magtanggal ng budget. What you are trying to do is make a case for impeachment."

(In fact, you are not after the budget here because you can easily take that away.)

Duterte said efforts to "destroy" her will not make her cave in. "So, you may try to destroy me, you can skin me alive, and throw my ashes to the wind. But let it be known, you will find me unbowed," she said.

Duterte earlier said her office's social programs have been able to provide aid to 2 million beneficiaries.

Since she has refused to answer the lawmakers' questions on her office's budget, however, the House appropriations panel has recommended a P1.29 billion budget cut on Office of the Vice President's (OVP) P2-billion proposed budget for 2025.

Last week, the House appropriations panel deferred for the second time the committee-level deliberations on the OVP's proposed budget. This came after Duterte and members of her staff failed to attend the resumption of the House panel's deliberation on her office's budget proposal for next year.

Duterte has said that the OVP can continue its work and operations next fiscal year even without a budget allocation. —VDV/KBK, GMA Integrated News