The House committee hearing on the budget utilization of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), held on Wednesday, was conducted “in aid of legislation” and not for political maneuvering, a lawmaker clarified.
Vice President Sara Duterte previously asserted that the House of Representatives launched the inquiry as part of a political effort to build an impeachment case against her.
In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Manila 2nd District Representative Rolando Valeriano emphasized that the hearing aimed to clarify which government agencies should receive confidential funds, helping lawmakers make informed budget decisions.
“If there’s no issue, then she should submit the liquidation reports or explain to Congress what happened,” Valeriano said on Thursday, September 19. “That would settle it, instead of diverting the discussion by claiming it’s all about politics.”
Valeriano also said that if the Commission on Audit (COA) clears the OVP’s budget reports, he would be willing to make another privilege speech to inform the public that the funds were used properly.
The lawmaker, who previously delivered a speech critical of Duterte that led to the committee hearing, reiterated that Congress has an oversight responsibility when it comes to government budget utilization.
He pointed out that the hearing revealed the OVP had not submitted all required documents to the COA, which led to the issuance of a notice of disallowance.
“The COA has a six-month period for reconsideration. We’re looking into ways to shorten this timeline because it’s too long—by the time the review is completed, the official or auditor may no longer be in office,” Valeriano added.
The House good government committee, similar to the Senate’s blue ribbon committee, investigates issues related to the misconduct, inefficiency, or failure of public officials to perform their duties.
