Khonghun: Sara Duterte deflecting impeach talks with graft claims
Vice President Sara Duterte gestures as she delivers a statement following her impeachment by the lower house of Congress, in her office at Mandaluyong City in this file photo taken on February 7, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s latest claims about corruption in the crafting of the 2025 national budget are nothing but attempts to divert talks related to her impeachment, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said on Friday.
In a statement, Khonghun said this “revival” of allegations is just a bid to deflect calls for her to address alleged confidential fund (CF) misuse in her offices — which is why she was impeached.
“Tama na ang diversion. Hindi na makakaiwas si VP sa pagsagot sa impeachment charges. Malapit na ang kanyang Senate trial,” Khonghun, an Assistant Majority Leader at the House of Representatives, said.
(Stop this attempt at diversion. The VP can no longer avoid answering the impeachment charges. Her trial at the Senate is drawing near.)
Khonghun was referring to Duterte’s statements in a previous interview, when she was asked about alleged plans to replace House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, her campaign manager in the 2022 polls, whom she had openly feuded with after the scrutiny of her CF.
According to Duterte, a lot of corruption is done to the budget, which cannot be reversed even if Romualdez is replaced.
But Khonghun believes Duterte’s recent statements are also an affront to the Supreme Court (SC), as the High Tribunal is already discussing complaints about the 2025 national budget.
Among the issues raised before the SC regarding the budget are the presence of alleged blanks in Congress’ bicameral conference committee report, a supposed failure to prioritize education in the budget, and the decision not to provide subsidy to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation due to the presence of reserve funds.
“This matter has been brought to the Supreme Court by concerned citizens. In fact, the respondents have been required to comment on their petitions. So, let’s just await the decision of the high court. Let us not jump the gun on the tribunal,” he said.
READ: New petition assails ’25 budget for low priority on education
Duterte was impeached by the House last February 5 after 215 lawmakers filed and verified a fourth impeachment complaint. One of the articles of impeachment was hinged on allegations that there were irregularities hounding Duterte’s offices — the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and previously, the Department of Education (DepEd).
Aside from this, another issue mentioned in the articles of impeachment is Duterte’s threats — about talking to someone about killing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez if she gets killed.
READ: Sara Duterte’s kill remark vs Marcos is ‘active threat’ – Palace
Khonghun said the House prosecution panel, which will be responsible for presenting the case before the Senate during the impeachment trial, already has a sufficient and strong set of evidence.
“Our prosecutors are confident that they can convince senator-judges to convict VP Duterte on the strength alone of these two charges,” Khonghun noted.
READ: Sara Duterte told: Don’t hit House, explain funds misuse raps instead
Khonghun is not the first lawmaker to call out Duterte over her recent statements against Romualdez and the budget. House Deputy Speaker David Suarez on Thursday asked the Vice President to stop misinforming the public about the alleged corruption, noting that the real issue she should be focusing on is the alleged misuse CFs within OVP and DepEd.
