House panel rejects VP Sara’s detention

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability will refrain from issuing a subpoena to Vice President Sara Duterte to compel her attendance in an investigation into alleged irregularities in the use of her offices’ funds.

Panel chairperson Joel Chua said Monday that while they are determined to uncover the truth and hold to account those responsible for the alleged funds misuse, they will not summon Duterte out of respect for her position.

“Like I said, it’s a courtesy to her office. It’s not appropriate for us to treat the second president with contempt. We shouldn’t imprison her here in the House. I don’t think that’s good either,” he said.

“We respect the Vice President as the second highest official of our country. So we will no longer require her to attend the investigation,” Chua added in Filipino.

The decision stands, according to Chua, even though Duterte purportedly instructed her subordinates to skip the probe, which resulted in them being subpoenaed.

An immigration lookout bulletin has also been sought from the Department of Justice against the seven officials of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) amid concerns they may flee.

The officials named in the lookout bulletin are former DepEd Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda, Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda, OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez, Assistant Chief of Staff and Bids and Awards Committee Chair Lemuel Ortonio, Administrative and Financial Services Director Rosalynne Sanchez, Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta and Chief Accountant Julieta Villadelrey.

The committee issued subpoenas for them after they repeatedly refused to attend hearings despite being issued show-cause orders.

In a position paper earlier submitted to the panel, the officials deemed the investigation “unnecessary,” arguing that the required documents could be accessed and verified in reports by the Commission on Audit.

No oath

To recall, Duterte attended the first House hearing on 18 September to prevent the officials from being held in contempt. She refused to take an oath, however, contending that the probe was merely a “well-funded” and “coordinated political attack” against her.

Further, she alleged that investigating her use of the budgets of the two agencies was not the sole objective of the committee, claiming its ulterior motive was to build a case for her impeachment.

The lawmakers have repeatedly denied this, calling it a desperate attempt by Duterte to divert attention away from the mounting scandals surrounding her, including the alleged distribution of cash envelops to DepEd officials.

Chua stressed that while Duterte is entitled to parliamentary courtesy, she cannot evade scrutiny.

“It’s not because we’re extending a courtesy it means she’ll get through this easily. Actually, if she doesn’t respond to the allegations, then she is at a disadvantage,” the chairman pointed out.

The investigation stemmed from findings by the Commission on Audit, which flagged ₱125 million in confidential funds that the Office of the Vice President spent over just 11 days in December 2022, during Duterte’s first year in office.

The probe is also looking into the P112.5 million in confidential DepEd funds that remain unaccounted for, despite having been withdrawn as cash advances by a close aide of Duterte’s when she was DepEd secretary.