By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On Friday, House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for defying a subpoena issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In an earlier statement, the second-highest official of the land raised the possibility of not being able to appear before the NBI with the intention of attending the inquiry of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability originally set for Friday.
The NBI wants Vice President Duterte to explain her assassination threats against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
But the committee, chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua, decided last Thursday (Nov. 28) to postpone its hearing so VP Duterte would not have an “excuse” to not comply with the NBI subpoena.
However, NBI Director Jaime Santiago confirmed that he had received a letter from VP Duterte requesting a reschedule of her appearance following NBI’s subpoena.
“By refusing to comply with the subpoena, she is sending a message: ‘The law doesn’t apply to me.’ That is not leadership. That is arrogance,” Ortega said.
“Her refusal is an insult to every ordinary Filipino who follows the law. If an ordinary citizen ignored a subpoena, he would face consequences immediately. Why should the Vice President be any different?” he added, urging VP Duterte to reflect on her responsibility as a public figure.
Likewise, the House leader called on the NBI “to act firmly and without fear,” insisting that the Filipino people are closely monitoring the confidential funds issue and allowing VP Duterte’s ‘stubbornness’ to prevail will project a bad image of justice in the Philippines.
The House panel is looking into Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds received by the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education in 2022 and 2023 when she was education secretary.
Political distractions have no place in the government
Meanwhile, House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun, one of the leaders of the House Young Guns, reaffirmed the House’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and public service.
“Let me be clear: the people demand results, not political drama. We have repeatedly said, in media interviews, that impeachment is not on the House agenda. Simply because we believe that the best way to address these issues is through thorough investigations and concrete reforms, not political distractions,” Khonghun stated.
“Si VP Sara lang naman ang mahilig sa drama at political distractions. Kung sinasagot nila ang mga tanong sa nawawalang pondo ng OVP at DepEd, wala sanang gulong nangyayari,” he pointed out, emphasizing that addressing political controversies must not come at the expense of the Filipino people’s needs.
Khonghun recognized the public concerns over the alleged misuse of confidential funds and unfounded reports of questionable exchanges linked to previous administrations, which are being worked upon by various committees of the House without turning the ongoing investigation into a political circus.
He noted that rather than focusing on political maneuvers, the House is prioritizing legislative measures to prevent similar controversies, such as enhancing oversight mechanisms for government spending and ensuring stricter accountability for public funds.
In spite of the noise generated by surrounding issues, Khonghun urged his colleagues to remain focused on addressing the everyday struggles of ordinary Filipinos, such as rising prices, unemployment, and access to essential services. (with reports from Mela Lesmoras and Louisa Erispe/PTV News)
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