Romualdez on Sara’s absence in OVP budget hearings: We’ll come to a resolution

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said Wednesday that a resolution would be made as regards the budget of the Office of the Vice President amid the refusal of Vice President Sara Duterte to attend the deliberations. 

Speaking to Palace reporters, Romualdez guaranteed that the matter would be dealt with accordingly. 

''We are on our last day for plenary sessions at saka inaabangan natin ang OVP... sa ngayon yata hindi pa yata siya sumipot pero ite-check ko pagbalik natin ng Kongreso,'' Romualdez said.

(We are on our last day for plenary sessions and we are still waiting for the OVP... So far, she has not appeared.)

He, however, said the chamber would appreciate Duterte’s presence in the budget hearing. 

''Abangan ang susunod na kabanata... pero sa totoo lang po (Let's see what happens), we will take this matter shortly and you will soon be informed of its resolution,'' he added.

Asked to comment on the call of some lawmakers for Duterte to quit the post amid her absence in budget hearings, Romualdez said congressmen have their opinions and that the House of Representatives will always act on a consensus.

''Lahat ng congressman, may ideas, meron silang opinyon, but before tonight, we will come to a resolution and that will be the act of plenary,'' he said.

(All congressmen have ideas, they have opinions, but before tonight, we will come to a resolution and that will be the act of plenary.)

Duterte’s camp earlier said the Vice President would not be attending the continuing deliberations of a House panel on how her office uses its budget based on the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA).

In a letter addressed to House committee on good government and public accountability chairperson and Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua, Duterte reiterated her call “to terminate this inquiry immediately” due to several reasons.

One of which, she pointed out, is that “the inquiry must only be in relation to legislation and should ideally have a proposed bill to guide the discussions therein,” citing a provision in the Constitution. 

The Vice President earlier accused House members of using the budget hearing for her office for politicking, adding the lawmakers are just making "a case for impeachment."

The House committee on appropriations has already recommended a P733-million budget for the OVP for fiscal year 2025, a P1.29-billion reduction from OVP's initial proposal of P2 billion.

House Assistant Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V, for his part, said the OVP should expect a budget cut given the repeated absence of the Vice President.

“It’s still the Office of the Vice President. The office needs to be functional. But if she cannot defend her office’s proposed budget and its programs, siyempre may mga slashes na mae-expect diyan (budget cuts should be expected),” Ortega said in a separate press conference.

“Because agencies with low utilization rate...we can’t put funds in if it remains unutilized. If you cannot use your budget, you cannot use it, you cannot efficiently disburse for the perusal of the public...it would also affect the OVP personnel,” Ortega added.

Ortega, however, would not say that he regrets voting for Duterte during the 2022 elections.

“I was questioning her leadership skills and her intentions. Because I voted for her. I am frustrated,” Ortega said.—with a report from Llanesca Panti/AOL/ VAL, GMA Integrated News