CHALLENGE
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez dared Vice President Sara Duterte not to pass the responsibility of explaining the funds in question to her subordinates.
According to Romualdez, if Duterte is really concerned for her staff then it is much more necessary for her to attend the House Blue Ribbon Committee hearing and personally explain those questionable P612.5 million confidential funds provided to the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) when she is the Secretary.
“Eh ‘di dapat lang siyang sumipot at mag-oath at mag-salita at mag-eksplika dahil lahat ng mga opisyales niya… siya lang yata may alam kung anong nangyari diyan sa mga pondo eh kaya dapat siya ang mag-eksplika,” Romualdez said in and ambush interview following activities in Albay.
“’Wag na niyang ibigay sa mga officials niya sa OVP at sa DepEd. Siya na lang magsalita,” Romualdez added.
The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, also known as the Blue Ribbon Committee, has been investigating the alleged misuse of the funds, holding six hearings so far.
However, Duterte has only attended the first session, where she refused to take an oath and left after reading a prepared statement.
Several OVP officials described as part of Duterte’s “inner circle”—Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, Special Disbursement Officer Gina Acosta, and husband-and-wife Edward and Sunshine Charry Fajarda—have also failed to attend despite being summoned, prompting contempt citations and arrest orders.
The probe gained momentum when OVP Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez appeared during the sixth hearing under subpoena.
Her evasive answers, however, led to a contempt citation and detention for “undue interference in the proceedings.”
The committee, chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua, has scheduled its next hearing on November 25.
Speaker Romualdez’s comments reflect growing frustration among lawmakers over Duterte’s absence and her delegation of critical questions to subordinates who reportedly lack direct knowledge of the funds’ disbursement.
Lawmakers have repeatedly called on her to take full accountability and provide clear explanations about how the P612.5 million in confidential funds were used.
