Sara Duterte told: Don鈥檛 hit House, explain funds misuse raps instead
Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez (Photo from his Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker David Suarez on Thursday called on Vice President Sara Duterte to stop misinforming the public about the alleged corruption in the House of Representatives.
In a statement, Suarez reminded Duterte that the real issue she should be focusing on is the alleged misuse of Department of Education and the Office of the Vice President’s funds.
READ: Romualdez calls out VP Sara Duterte: Explain fund use yourself
“The corruption allegation against House leadership has no basis whatsoever,” Suarez said in Filipino.
“Ang tunay na isyu ay ang confidential funds na ginastos ni Vice President Sara Duterte sa loob lamang ng 11 araw, at kung bakit ang mga recipient ay may pangalan na tila kathang-isip—gaya nina ‘Mary Grace Piattos,’ ‘Jay Kamote,’ ‘Xiaome Ocho,’ at kung sinu-sino pang mukhang gawang pangalan lang,” the lawmaker pointed out.
“The real issue is the confidential funds that Vice President Sara Duterte spent in just 11 days, and why the recipients have names that seem fictitious — like Mary Grace Piattos, Jay Kamote, Xiaome Ocho, and others that seem to be made-up names. She should explain this and not blame others,” he added.
According to Suarez, no findings from the Commission on Audit (COA) implicate Speaker Martin Romualdez or the House of Representatives as a whole to any corruption.
The same cannot be said about Duterte, as allegations against her of misusing the funds in her office and those of the DepEd are based on official COA findings and disbursement records, Suarez said.
“These are not mere political statements. They are findings backed by audit reports, official documents, and sworn statements,” he noted.
“The vice president owes the public a clear and honest explanation. If she believes in transparency, she should welcome the opportunity to respond to these charges in the Senate. This is not about personalities or politics. This is about the responsible and lawful use of public funds. The Filipino people deserve no less,” he added.
好色先生TV sought the OVP for Duterte’s comment, but it has yet to receive a response as of this writing.
Duterte was impeached at the House of Representatives level on February 5.
She will soon face an impeachment trial in the Senate.
