Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co accused Vice President Sara Duterte of pocketing the confidential intelligence funds for her office, the reason why she was avoiding budget hearings.
House appropriations committee chairman and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co countered the allegations of Vice President Sara Duterte against him and Speaker Martin Romualdez, saying it was the country’s second highest official who must explain where her confidential intelligence funds (CIF) went.
In an ambush interview with reporters on Wednesday, Sept. 11, Co denied that they have a “script” for a coordinated attack against Duterte.
Duterte said neither she nor officials of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) attended the budget hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 10, as she was expecting a “scripted” political sideshow attack on her person.
“Hindi po totoo ‘yan. Siya po ang scripted, siya po ang budol, peke po (That’s not true. She’s the one who has a script, she’s the one fooling the people, fake),” Co said.
Co pointed out that Duterte had statements prepared for her in her recorded interview and was avoiding the hearings because she could not answer the questions regarding her CIF. “Ibig sabihin, ayaw niya talagang sumagot sa confidential fund dahil hindi niya kayang ipaliwanag.”
“Kasi, ninakaw niya ‘yung pera…isauli niya dapat ‘yung pera (It’s because she stole the money…she should return the money,” Co added.
Co said it was not true that the issue on CIF was not yet over, saying audit reports would show that some of OVP expenditures using the CIF were disallowed.
According to Co, Duterte was showing that she could not be trusted with public funds, thus the OVP’s budget must be slashed.
“If that will be approved…dahil nawalan na nga tayo ng ng pondo eh, ibibigay mo pa ba?
Small amount pa lang ‘yun. How much ito ngayon?” Co said, referring to proposed funds for the OVP meant to assist the poor.
Duterte was a no-show at the House of Representatives appropriations committee’s second budget deliberation on Tuesday, earning condemnation from some lawmakers who described her as “bratinella to the max.”
Instead Duterte, who had denied being a “bratinella” or spoiled brat when she attended the first budget hearing, accused Speaker Martin Romualdez and Co of meddling with the Department of Education’s classroom budget for the past two years.
Other House members said the P125-million CIF issue must have haunted Duterte, especially since she refused to explain how the expenses were incurred.
“She only has herself to blame, because she’s the head of the agency. Whether it resulted in malfeasance or whatsoever, it is her responsibility and accountability to explain why these findings have been observed by COA,” Rep. Jude Acidre told reporters in a weekly briefing.
Rep. Rodge Gutierrez of party-list 1Rider echoed the same sentiments. “I think she just refuses to take accountability for all that we are looking for in Congress and exercise the power of the purse.”
La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V said the issues Duterte are now facing are “self-inflicted,” refuting her claims of being unfairly targeted and her office defunded. “Most of what she has been saying is that she is attacking herself, it seems like it’s self-inflicted,” he said.
Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong added that Duterte’s accusations of politicking are misplaced.
“I think the ones accusing us of politicking are the ones actually doing the politicking,” the Mindanao legislator said, emphasizing that budget deliberations, which Duterte snubbed on Tuesday, are a key part of lawmakers’ mandate and sworn duty.
source: oneph
