MANILA, Philippines – Sinabi ni House Committee on Public Accounts chairperson at Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry L. Ridon nitong Sabado, Marso 28 na nahaharap sa mas malalim na public distrust si Vice President Sara Duterte dahil sa patuloy na pagtakas na humarap sa alegasyon ng korapsyon at pag-asa sa legal na hakbang para mapigilan ang impeachment proceedings laban sa kanya.
Tinukoy ni Ridon ang Pulse Asia survey na nagpapakitang 51.5 percent ng respondents ay walang tiwala kay Duterte.
“The 51.5 percent distrust is not accidental. It is the direct result of the continued evasion of serious allegations, especially on confidential funds,” sinabi ni Ridon.
Dagdag pa niya, hindi pa nakuha sa survey period ang reaksyon ng publiko sa kanyang pinakahuling petisyon sa Korte Suprema.
“This survey is a baseline of distrust before her latest legal maneuver. By running to the High Court to block the 17-year audit of her tax and business records, she is only reinforcing the public’s worst fears. If 51 percent distrusted her then, that number will surely climb now that she is actively trying to suppress the evidence,” ipinunto ni Ridon.
Aniya, ang pagtanggi ni Duterte na direktang tumugon, kasama ang kanyang bigong pagharap sa imbestigasyon ay magpapalakas ng pananaw na siya ay tumatakas sa accountability.
“When you do not show up and you do not answer, the public sees that as evasion. That is exactly what the survey is capturing. Whether through non-attendance or legal maneuvers, the effect is the same—an attempt to stop the process instead of answering the allegations,” sinabi ni Ridon.
“The public is not asking for rhetoric or legal word salad. They are asking for clear, direct answers about ₱612.5 million in confidential funds and her ₱50-million wealth gap. These are evidence-based proceedings anchored on sworn records—you cannot ‘petition’ your way out of a forensic audit,” giit pa ng mambabatas.
Nagbabala si Ridon na ang patuloy na pagtakas ni Duterte ay makakapagpahina ng popularity nito.
Inaasahan na mag-iisyu ng subpoena ang komite sa mga ahensya ng pamahalaan para magpasa ng mga tax, business at SALN documents ni Duterte sa mga susunod na araw.
“The subpoenas will be complied with. The Duterte financial documents will see the light of day in the coming days.”
“The longer the answers do not come, the stronger the distrust becomes. You can delay a hearing, but you cannot delay the public’s verdict on your character,” pagtatapos ni Ridon. RNT/JGC
