MANILA SOLON SLAMS VP SARA FOR RUDE BEHAVIOR DURING OVP BUDGET HEARING

MANILA 2nd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano blasted Vice President Sara Duterte for her rude behavior and utter disrespect to the House of Representatives during the Aug. 27 budget deliberation of the Committee on Appropriations for the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

 “Nitong nakaraang linggo, inilantad ni Vice President ang kanyang hindi kagandahang asal at kawalan ng respeto sa ating Saligang Batas at demokratikong republika,” Valeriano said.

It can be recalled that during the deliberations, the Vice President refused to answer questions raised by several House members. Dutere also requested that Committee on Appropriations senior vice chairperson Stella Luz Quimbo be replaced as the presiding officer.

Valeriano underscored that Vice President Duterte is wrong to insinuate that the panel cannot ask questions about the OVP’s budget spending in the previous years.

He also took offense in the Vice President’s behavior and noted that this should not be emulated, especially by the Filipino youth.

“Kabastusan na ngayon lang nangyari sa kasaysayan ng ating Kongreso at hindi dapat tularan ng mga Kabataang Pilipino o ng kahit sinong tao,” he said.

He also noted that resource persons who are rude and uncooperative in committee hearings are usually cited in contempt and arrested for detention but the House, through the presiding officer Quimbo, has been very patient and considerate with the Vice President.

“Sa totoo lang, kapag ganoon sumagot ang isang resource person sa isang komite ng Kongreso, contempt at agarang pagdakip ng Sergeant-at-Arms ang karampatang parusa. Ngunit nagtimpi ang ating presiding officer para sa pagsusuri ng OVP budget. Dito sa Kamara, hindi natin tinatapatan ng kabastusan ang kabastusan. Maling asal kasi yun,” Valeriano said.

Valeriano emphasized that budget hearings are crucial in informing the Filipino people how the government agencies and offices spend their allocated budget.

“Kaya nga mayroong budget hearings ay para malaman ng ‘madlang pipol’ kung paano ginagastos ng mga opisina ng gobyerno ang pondo ng bayan na pinagkatiwala sa kanila,” the Manila solon said.

The two-term lawmaker also questioned the veracity of the 977,615 beneficiaries of the OVP programs and projects, as well as the office’s 793 strategic partnerships in 2023.

“Totoong tao ba ang mga ito o ghost beneficiaries? Nasaan ang listahan ng verified beneficiaries? Nasaan ang mga resibo? Nasaan ang mga patunay?,” he asked.

Instead of presenting the facts to said questions, the Vice President decided to “forgo the opportunity to defend the budget of the OVP in question and answer format.”

Valeriano asked whether VP Duterte is truly serving the Filipino people. “Baka naman ang totoo niyang boss ay hindi ang mga Pilipino. Baka naman ang kanyang boss ay ang mga promotor ng POGO, mga kawatan, mga drug trafficker, at human traffickers. Baka naman ang boss n’ya ay ang mga humaharang sa bangka ng mga Pilipinong mangingisda. We deserve better,” Valeriano added.