MANILA, Philippines – Nilinaw ni ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro nitong Sabado, Agosto 26 na masyado pang maaga para pag-usapan ang impeachment complaint laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte, ngunit nanindigan na ang paggamit ng Office of the Vice President (OVP) sa confidential funds noong nakaraang taon ay “illegal.”
“On the issue of the ₱125 million confidential fund of the Office of the Vice President in 2022, we must focus on the facts first and talks of impeachment are premature,” saad sa pahayag ni Castro.
Ang paglilinaw ng House deputy minority leader ay kasunod ng sinabi niyang pag-aaralan niya ang mga pamamaraan upang mapanagot si Duterte sa umano’y paglabag na may kaugnayan sa confidential funds na naging tugon niya nang matanong kung pinag-aaralan ba niya ang posibilidad ng impeachment laban sa Bise Presidente.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Castro na ginamit umano ng OVP ang pondo noong 2022 kahit walang Congressional authorization.
Sinabi pa niya na walang “appropriation” para sa confidential expenses sa OVP sa ilalim ng General Appropriations Act sa nasabing taon.
Idinagdag din ng mambabatas na dapat panagutin si Duterte sa ilang criminal cases, kabilang ang alleged technical malversation at illegal use of public funds, at paglabag sa Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
“We ask that the OVP provide a detailed public accounting of how the Php 125 million was spent. We hope that Vice President Sara Duterte will use the OVP budget hearing to personally clarify her position on this sensitive issue,” pahayag ni Castro.
Nangako naman ang Commission on Audit had committed na bubusisiin nito ang naturang usapin at magpapasa ng report sa House appropriations committee.
Nitong Huwebes, matatandaang sumagot dito si Duterte at sinabing:
“All she did was wildly and masterfully arrange some allegations against me and the OVP, which will all be answered once the probe is done and during the budget hearing.” RNT/JGC
