Vice President Sara Duterte attends the attends the House quad committee hearing on the alleged human rights violations in the war on drugs of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, November 13, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A lawmaker on Thursday urged Vice President Sara Duterte to face a House inquiry into her office’s fund utilization after she showed up at a megapanel’s separate investigation into her father’s war on drugs. 

Duterte on Wednesday made a surprise appearance at the House quad committee hearing, which her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, attended for the first time. 

Sara backs dad: VP Duterte makes surprise appearance at House quad comm

“Medyo nakakapatanong lang kasi resource person din natin si Vice President sa good governance [committee], where we are investigating the utilization of the budget of the OVP (Office of the Vice President) and DepEd (Department of Education) during her time. Hindi siya dumadating doon,” Batangas Second District Rep. Gerville Luistro said. 

“Puwede naman pala, kaya naman pala niyang dumating at mag-stay until midnight. Sana itong kaniyang presence sa pagsuporta sa ating former president sa quad comm, sana naipapakita rin niya kung saan siya talaga invited na resource speaker sa committee on good governance,” Luistro told TeleRadyo Serbisyo. 

Former senator De Lima, a drug war critic and quad comm resource person, added: “Lahat naman dapat ay humaharap sa mga ganiyang proseso o proceedings ng isang co-eaqual branch ng executive.”

Duterte on Wednesday was handed an invitation for the November 20 hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability on her office's confidential expenses.  

VP Duterte invited to House panel hearing on confidential expenses on Nov. 20

She attended only the first hearing of the House panel and skipped the succeeding hearings, saying the probe was politically motivated. The Vice President denied her office misused public funds, which was disputed by congressmen.

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Earlier this week, the House committee cited in contempt 4 individuals linked to the Office of the Vice President after they failed to attend the budget probe. 

House panel expels OVP legal chief for refusal to take oath in probe

The Vice President on Wednesday said  she no longer expected fairness from the House of Representatives and alleged that its investigations on her and her father were "political persecution."

“They use the rules according to their pleasure…. Kahit wala sa rules, gumagawa sila ng rules as they go along, as they do their hearings,” Duterte said. 

"Madami ang mga tao na nakapalibot sa amin na hinaharass, pinakahirapan, mga ganon. But then again, sa akin, I'm a politician. It's okay with me. Kasama yan sa trabaho ko. Ang hindi ko lang gusto dito is nadadamay yung mga ordinary employees, particularly ng Office of the Vice President and yung mga kaibigan,” she added. 

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