House Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Representative Paolo Ortega V has directly stated that the issues currently faced by Vice President Sara Duterte are her own doing, contrary to her claims of being targeted alongside her office. Ortega stressed,
“In the House of Representatives, since the beginning, even in press conferences, when issues arise, we focus on the issues. If critiques are raised, after delving deeper, we provide solutions. It’s always issue-based, and that’s clearly visible.”
The statement by Ortega came in response to Duterte’s allegations of being targeted and rumors that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) might not receive funding for the next year. Duterte also claimed she is being attacked due to her potential candidacy for the 2028 presidential election.
1-Rider Party-List Representative Rodge Gutierrez refuted these claims, asserting that no political motives were behind the review of the OVP’s budget and expenses. Gutierrez maintained that the scrutiny was purely issue-based.
Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-List Representative Jude Acidre agreed with Ortega’s remarks, highlighting that the House remains committed to providing the necessary funds for the OVP while ensuring transparency in the process.
Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong rejected accusations of political interference, emphasizing that budget discussions in the House Committee on Appropriations, which VP Duterte missed on September 10, are essential to ensuring the proper and legal use of government funds.
It was further noted that Vice President Duterte, instead of attending the OVP budget hearing, released a video accusing the panel of following a script during the budget deliberations. In response, Acidre questioned the timing of Duterte’s video, reiterating that lawmakers are free to ask questions during budget deliberations.
Both Ortega and Acidre insisted that no political targeting or personal agendas are involved in the budget review process.