Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But in the case of the alleged impeachment plot against the Vice President, lawmakers said the only one talking about it is VP Sara Duterte herself.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong advised Duterte to stop imagining things like a phantom impeachment threat and instead face issues involving her office such as the alleged mismanagement of millions of taxpayers’ money.
“Very simple — there is no truth to that impeachment plot,” Adiong said.
Rep. Rodge Gutierrez of 1-Rider party-list added: “I have heard talks of impeachment but coming only from her. We don’t hear it here in Congress. I can guarantee that.”
Duterte, in the third part of a recorded video interview released by her office to the media yesterday, accused Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro of pushing impeachment talks against her.
“The impeachment is constantly being discussed openly in the House of Representatives…And at the center of these talks is France Castro,” the Vice President said.
Duterte has repeatedly denied there was misuse of the confidential funds as well as of the budget of the Department of Education which she previously headed.
“They are now trying to make a basis for the impeachment against me,” she said.
Castro categorically refuted Duterte’s claims.
“In fact, we even had a statement in August and November 2023, saying that the impeachment matter was premature,” the lawmaker said.
“VP Duterte should get her facts straight ‘at hindi puro Marites ang source’ (and not to rely on the rumor mill as source),” Castro added.
Instead of trying to be the underdog with her “fake” impeachment claims, Duterte should instead “provide a detailed public accounting of how the P125 million was spent (in 11 days),” Castro said.
On Tuesday, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe raised the possibility not of an impeachment bid but of criminal liability for graft that Duterte may face.
He warned the Vice President may be liable for graft if she cannot justify P73.2 million in intelligence expenses disallowed by COA and the supposed P12.3 billion in similar “disallowances and suspensions.”
“More than just allegations of mismanagement, she may be held liable for graft, for possible violation of the anti-graft laws, if she cannot adequately explain and justify the adverse findings, and if the COA does not accept her explanations and justifications,” Dalipe said.
He noted COA has been asking Duterte to return the P73.2 million disallowed from her spending of P125 million in intelligence funds that were used up in just 11 days, or P11.36 million a day.
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