ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro advised Vice President Sara Duterte to “get her facts straight” and avoid relying on “marites” (Filipino slang for gossipers) for information. Castro was responding to claims that the Makabayan bloc had met with House Speaker Martin Romualdez to discuss an impeachment strategy against the Vice President.
Earlier on Wednesday, Duterte released a video message suggesting that Castro had herself mentioned discussions about her impeachment last November. The Vice President also claimed that Castro is “at the center” of these discussions.
The lawmaker emphasized, “It is entirely false that the Makabayan bloc met with House Speaker Romualdez to discuss the impeachment of VP Duterte,” reiterating a previous statement from the Makabayan bloc.
She added, “Secondly, the Makabayan bloc did not issue any statements in September 2023 advocating for impeachment. In fact, we made statements in August and November 2023 indicating that discussions about impeachment were premature.”
“Secondly, the Makabayan bloc did not issue any statements in September 2023 supporting impeachment. In fact, we released statements in August and November 2023 stating that the impeachment issue was premature.”
Instead, Castro suggested that attention should be directed towards pressing issues like the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) PHP 125 million confidential fund for 2022, referring to a statement she made in August of the previous year.
“VP Duterte needs to get her facts right and not rely solely on gossip,” she said.
Castro also highlighted that the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA) did not include any allocation for confidential expenses for the Office of the Vice President (OVP), nor was such a request made in the budget proposal at that time.
A Commission on Audit (COA) report from 2022 revealed an additional PHP 125 million allocated for confidential expenses in the latter half of the year. Castro pointed out that this allocation was not part of the 2022 GAA and deemed its transfer illegal.
In September 2024, Marikina 2nd District Representative Stella Quimbo confirmed that the confidential fund (CF) was exhausted within 11 days during the plenary debates on the COA's proposed budget for the previous year.
“We call on the OVP to provide a detailed public account of how the PHP 125 million was spent. We hoped Vice President Sara Duterte would clarify her position on this issue during the OVP budget hearing, but she employed evasive tactics to avoid answering and even boycotted the hearing,” Castro said.
**‘Impeachment a Logical Consequence of CF Misuse’**
Castro reiterated the Makabayan bloc’s opposition to the use of confidential funds by the OVP, stating that their removal from the budget last year was both “legitimate and necessary.”
She added that “the possibility of impeachment remains a logical consequence of the apparent misuse of confidential funds.”
“We emphasize that no legal framework allows such rapid expenditure without violating established fiscal protocols,” Castro said.
Regarding Duterte’s comments that her office could operate with or without a full budget, Castro argued that the Vice President is deflecting from the main issue, which is adherence to legal and ethical standards in public office.
“The Makabayan bloc has consistently advocated for the proper allocation of the national budget, ensuring that funds serve the interests of the Filipino people rather than personal or political agendas,” the lawmaker said.
“We remain committed to holding public officials accountable and pursuing the abolition of all confidential funds. We will explore all legal avenues, including impeachment, to address any abuse of power and resources,” she continued.
“We urge legislators and the public to stay vigilant and demand transparency in government transactions. It is our collective responsibility to uphold the integrity of our institutions and ensure that public funds are used wisely and responsibly,” she concluded.
In a video message, Duterte alleged that the controversies surrounding her office’s use of confidential funds are part of a coordinated effort to undermine her.
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