Abante: VP Duterte absence a preview of leadership

Manila 3rd District Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante was vocal about his dismay regarding the lack of interest on the part of Vice President Sara Duterte to attend her impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives.

Abante claimed that Duterte was well aware of what was going on in the Justice panel’s ongoing probe into the two complaints against her.

The solon noted there was a pattern of being selective in how the Vice President answered concerns and faced issues concerning her leadership.

“The Vice President has shown a pattern, matapang sa salita pero umiiwas sa tanong,” he said.

“She is tough when speaking to media, when issuing statements, pero kapag haharap sa proseso biglang nawawala,” he added.

Abante asserted that the supposed routine set a dangerous precedent, particularly with Duterte’s aspirations of running for President in the 2028 national elections.

He urged the Vice President to be upfront and verify the evidence contained in the presentation of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the affidavit of former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes.

During its proceedings this Wednesday, the members of the Justice panel were presented with the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth of Duterte and her husband Atty. Mans Carpio.

It was revealed that the couple had various large transactions of money from 2019 to 2024 coming from bank accounts, despite the lack of indication of any cash on hand and cash deposit from the same period on Duterte’s SALN.