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Congress Hits Back At VP Sara Duterte's Accusations Of Defunding OVP And Impeachment Plot: 'We're Just Doing Our Job'
House of Representatives Press Conference September 11, 2024. Screengrab from Congress PH
Members of the House of Representatives have denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s accusations of a deliberate move to defund the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and to impeach her. The congressmen insisted that their decisions regarding the national budget are based solely on their duty and mandate, with no political motivations involved.
Assistant House Majority Leaders Zia Alonzo Adiong and Rodge Gutierrez, along with other lawmakers, firmly rejected these claims. They pointed out that no such discussions had taken place in Congress, with Gutierrez even stating, “To be honest, it’s only VP Sara who’s talking about this. We haven’t heard of any such plot.”
Assistant House Majority Leader Paolo Ortega suggested that the Vice President might be causing unnecessary drama, saying, “It seems like VP Sara is attacking herself. These are all self-inflicted issues.”
Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre added that Congress is simply doing its job. “All of our actions are based on our duties and mandates. It’s unfair to blame Congress for these matters when we’re only doing what’s right for the country,” he said.
VP Sara, however, remained unfazed by the alleged plans to defund the OVP, stating, “We’re prepared. Even if we’re given zero budget, the OVP will still work. Our office and operations are small, and we can manage without a budget. We know this is part of the attacks, but we’ll keep doing our job for the people.”
Acidre expressed his frustration over the Vice President’s accusations being aired publicly, stating, “I honestly take offense that she chose to make these accusations over media, through what seems to be a scripted interview. If she had so much to say, why didn’t she speak up when she was in Congress?”
He also emphasized that the House’s decisions are not influenced by political alliances. “It really doesn’t matter if a department is an ally or not. Our mandate is to exercise the power of the purse, ensuring that each agency has what it needs to fulfill its constitutional duties,” Gutierrez concluded.
Assistant House Majority Leaders Zia Alonzo Adiong and Rodge Gutierrez, along with other lawmakers, firmly rejected these claims. They pointed out that no such discussions had taken place in Congress, with Gutierrez even stating, “To be honest, it’s only VP Sara who’s talking about this. We haven’t heard of any such plot.”
Assistant House Majority Leader Paolo Ortega suggested that the Vice President might be causing unnecessary drama, saying, “It seems like VP Sara is attacking herself. These are all self-inflicted issues.”
Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre added that Congress is simply doing its job. “All of our actions are based on our duties and mandates. It’s unfair to blame Congress for these matters when we’re only doing what’s right for the country,” he said.
VP Sara, however, remained unfazed by the alleged plans to defund the OVP, stating, “We’re prepared. Even if we’re given zero budget, the OVP will still work. Our office and operations are small, and we can manage without a budget. We know this is part of the attacks, but we’ll keep doing our job for the people.”
Acidre expressed his frustration over the Vice President’s accusations being aired publicly, stating, “I honestly take offense that she chose to make these accusations over media, through what seems to be a scripted interview. If she had so much to say, why didn’t she speak up when she was in Congress?”
He also emphasized that the House’s decisions are not influenced by political alliances. “It really doesn’t matter if a department is an ally or not. Our mandate is to exercise the power of the purse, ensuring that each agency has what it needs to fulfill its constitutional duties,” Gutierrez concluded.
Sep 11, 2024
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