VP SARA NO SHOW
VICE President Sara Duterte opted not to attend the second hearing on the budget of the Office of the Vice President in the House of Representatives.
Instead, she sent a letter to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and House Committee on Appropriations chair Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co in which she emphasized that she already submitted all the necessary documents.
“The OVP has submitted all necessary documentation to the House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations, including a detailed presentation on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025.
I have also articulated my position on the issues outlined in my opening statement during the previous hearing on 27 August 2024,” the letter read by committee Senior Vice President Stella Quimbo.
“We defer entirely to the discretion and judgement of the Committee regarding our budget proposal for the upcoming year,” she added.
The proposed budget of the OVP for 2025 is P2 billion.
Because of this, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas expressed disappointment and described Duterte’s refusal to attend as an “insult” to members of the Congress.
“Isang insulto ito sa mamamayang Filipino at sa mga Kinatawan dito sa loob ng Kongreso na hinalal ng mamamayan. Ang hiling nating, makapagpaliwanag ng accountability,” she added.
During the deliberation, Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta tried to terminate the budget hearing insisting the “tradition” of the Congress to extend respect to the high office and not to question the budget anymore.
But the majority of the members objected and wanted to continue deliberating on the budget.
