House panel defers hearing on VP Duterte’s proposed 2025 budget

August 27, 2024 , 08:13 PM

By Clarist Mae Zablan

(August 27, 2024) – The House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday deferred the hearing on the P2.037-billion proposed 2025 budget under the Office of the Vice President (OVP), following tense exchanges between Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and members of the panel.

1st District Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun moved to defer the hearing, citing Duterte’s refusal to answer the interpellation of lawmakers.

Receiving no objections, 2nd District Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo, who presided over the hearing, approved his motion. Quimbo set the resumption of the hearing on September 10.

Tensions flared between Duterte and members of the House Committee on Appropriations, with the hearing on the OVP budget dragging on for hours as the vice president insisted against defending the budget. At one point, the Vice President requested to have the chairperson of the panel preside over the hearing instead of Quimbo.

During the panel’s hearing on the proposed OVP budget, Duterte repeatedly said that she wanted to “forego the opportunity to defend the budget.” She said she would “leave it to the House of Representatives to decide on the budget submitted.”

Lawmakers proceeded with interpellating on the proposed OVP budget, noting that the rules of the Committee on Appropriations stated that they must proceed with the question-and-answer.

ACT-Teachers Rep. France Castro stressed that the vice president must explain the spending under her office, particularly the P125 million in confidential funds under the OVP in 2022.

Castro called out Duterte for what she described as “squid” tactics.

“Hindi pwede ‘yung ganyan, ‘yung tactics na ganyan na parang — sorry for the pusit — na kapag nasusukol na ang pusit ay nag-aano ng maitim na tinta. So ayaw natin ng ganoon,” Castro said.

Duterte, in response to Castro’s remarks and the panel snubbing her request to “fire” Quimbo, accused the lawmakers of being “one-sided” against her. She also brought up the child abuse case against the ACT-Teachers representative.

“‘Pusit’? And then I cannot fire the presiding chair (Quimbo)? Bakit napaka-one sided n’yo? Dahil ba marami kayo diyan sa kabila at nag-iisa ako rito?” the vice president said.

(With reports from Marianne Enriquez, News5)

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