House leaders have challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to prove she is not a “spoiled brat” by respecting the budget process and answering questions to clarify her handling of public funds.
During a hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations regarding the ₱2.037 billion budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2025, Duterte repeatedly refused to answer questions about the expenditure of ₱125 million in confidential funds, which were depleted within 11 days in December 2022.
House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre stated that transparency and accountability should be a priority for the Vice President as a government official.
Acidre insisted that the scrutiny of how public funds are spent is not an attack on the OVP but part of the process to protect public funds.
According to Acidre, if VP Sara Duterte is not a spoiled brat, she must demonstrate this by responding to inquiries.
Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig 2nd District Representative Amparo Maria “Pammy” Zamora emphasized that budget discussions are not about what Congress members want to hear but about how public money has been utilized.
Assistant Majority Leader Jil Bongalon added that inquiries by Congress members regarding the budget should not be considered a personal attack by Duterte.
The House Committee on Appropriations is scheduled to revisit the proposed ₱2.037 billion OVP budget today, Tuesday, September 10.