Sara Duterte on confi funds: 'My explanations will be in my own time'

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Vice President Sara Duterte insisted that she would explain in her "own time" her offices' use of confidential funds, as she responded to a House impeachment prosecutor's comment that she could have shed light on the matter sooner.

Duterte made the remark Friday after Manila representative Joel Chua, a member of the House of Representatives prosecution team, said that if the Vice President provided explanations during the series of committee hearings of the lower chamber, then the issue would not have dragged on.

"Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling ang sinasabi nilang ayaw ko sumagot. Ngayon, ayaw kong sumagot kasi nag-file na sila ng impeachment. At sinabi ko, 'Since nag-file kayo ng impeachment ay doon natin sagutin sa impeachment [trial],'" the Vice President told reporters after her scheduled visit to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, at Scheveningen Prison where he is under detention by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

(I don't know where comments about me refusing to speak are coming from. Now, I don't want to answer because they filed an impeachment case. And I said, 'Since you filed an impeachment, I will give my answers at the impeachment trial.)

"Para naman kasi akong tanga kung magsasalita ako about confidential funds ngayon na wala namang dahilan. Unang-una, nag-hearing, nandoon ako, walang kahit isang tanong. Kapag wala nang ibang venue, saka ako magsasalita. My explanations will be in my own time, hindi sa panahon kung kailan gusto ng mga members of the House of Representatives."

(I will look stupid if I speak about confidential funds now without any reason. First, I was there at the hearing, but there wasn't any question. If there isn't any other venue, then I will speak. My explanations will be in my own time.)

Earlier this week, the Vice President publicly addressed the confidential funds issue for the first time, saying the use of aliases is often done in intelligence operations.

House prosecutors had raised questions about the names of confidential funds recipients in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) under her leadership, saying these resembled names of snacks, cellphones, and food establishments, among others.

The Vice President, however, said "let us wait for the trial" and added that an intelligence expert would stand as a resource person during the proceedings.

The next day, Chua asked, "Why only now?" with regard to her statement that she would shed light on the matter, saying her explanations have been long awaited.

To recall, Duterte attended a House committee hearing in September 2024 on the alleged fund misuse, but refused to take her oath. The panel members thus allowed her to leave the probe.

In November 2024, Duterte attended another House committee hearing and finally took her oath. She had said she was accompanying OVP personnel to the hearing.

Impeachment trial

Meanwhile, Duterte said House Secretary General Reginald Velasco should respond to the Supreme Court with regard to its order to both chambers of Congress to comment and submit information regarding the impeachment trial.

"Sumagot na lang siya sa Supreme Court. Hiningi naman ng Supreme Court lahat nung sa tingin nilang irregularity," Duterte said.

(He should just answer the Supreme Court. The high tribunal is asking for everything related to irregularity.)

Duterte was reacting to Velasco's comment that he did not not violate the Rules on Impeachment when he did not immediately transmit the first three impeachment complaints to the Office of the Speaker.

The SC required the House to submit information regarding the status of the first three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte, the exact dates these were endorsed, and whether the House Secretary General possesses discretion on when to transmit these to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The SC en banc, in a notice dated July 8, consolidated the petition filed by Duterte against the validity and constitutionality of the fourth impeachment complaint against her and the petition filed by lawyer Israelito Torreon and others seeking to declare the articles of impeachment null and void.

Velasco had said the House "has taken note of the directive of the court," and that he would "also consult the prosecution team [on what to respond to] any order from the Supreme Court." 

It was the fourth impeachment complaint that was endorsed by over one-third of lawmakers from the House of Representatives, and was later transmitted to the Senate. — VDV, GMA Integrated News