‘Hindi ako bratinella’: Sara Duterte says ‘spoiled brat’ tag part of political attack | ABS-CBN
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‘Hindi ako bratinella’: Sara Duterte says ‘spoiled brat’ tag part of political attack
‘Hindi ako bratinella’: Sara Duterte says ‘spoiled brat’ tag part of political attack
Katrina Domingo,
ABS-CBN News
Published Sep 09, 2024 12:17 PM PHT
|
Updated Sep 09, 2024 05:25 PM PHT
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte rejected insinuations that she is a "spoiled brat" after lawmakers criticized her answers and demeanor during budget deliberations for her office's funds for 2025.
The narrative that she is a “spoiled brat” is part of the “attacks” of several House lawmakers, Duterte said in an interview taped on September 4 and distributed by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to the media on Monday.
READ: 'Bakit mo ako kinu-crucify?' Sara Duterte spars with House members as budget hearing turns personal
“Hindi ako ‘bratinella’ o spoiled brat dahil kilala nila ako simula noong ako ay nasa Davao pa, simula ng ako ay mayor pa hanggang naging Vice President ako, kilala ako ng taumbayan na hindi ko inaabuso ang aking power and ang aking authority sa lahat ng mga opisina na nahawakan ko,” Duterte said.
“Testigo ko ang buong bayan na hindi ako isang spoiled brat,” she said.
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte rejected insinuations that she is a "spoiled brat" after lawmakers criticized her answers and demeanor during budget deliberations for her office's funds for 2025.
The narrative that she is a “spoiled brat” is part of the “attacks” of several House lawmakers, Duterte said in an interview taped on September 4 and distributed by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to the media on Monday.
READ: 'Bakit mo ako kinu-crucify?' Sara Duterte spars with House members as budget hearing turns personal
“Hindi ako ‘bratinella’ o spoiled brat dahil kilala nila ako simula noong ako ay nasa Davao pa, simula ng ako ay mayor pa hanggang naging Vice President ako, kilala ako ng taumbayan na hindi ko inaabuso ang aking power and ang aking authority sa lahat ng mga opisina na nahawakan ko,” Duterte said.
“Testigo ko ang buong bayan na hindi ako isang spoiled brat,” she said.
Duterte made headlines recently after House lawmakers questioned her on confidential funds in 2023.
READ: VP Duterte says no misuse of OVP confidential funds
The Vice President asked why ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro — who started the discussion on the OVP’s confidential funds — was allowed to have a seat in the chamber when she was “convicted of child abuse.”
House Appropriations vice chairperson and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo asked Duterte to “please act in a respectful manner,” but the Vice President replied that she was being “crucified” by the panel.
Duterte eventually asked the Appropriations Committee to change Quimbo as the presiding officer of the OVP’s budget hearing, but the Marikina lawmaker denied the request and reiterated that the vice president has no power to decide which House member should lead budget deliberations.
'Bakit mo ako kinu-crucify?' Sara Duterte spars with House members as budget hearing turns personal
“Sa palagay ko, hindi lang sanay ang iilan na mga miyembro ng House of Representatives na hindi nila makuha ‘yung gusto nila at gusto nilang marinig na sagot at hindi sanay ‘yung mga iilan na mga representatives natin na sinasagot sila sa kanilang mga patutsada,” Duterte said in her recent interview.
“Kaya sa tingin ko, isa din itong parang atake din nila na parang: ‘Oh, bratinella ‘yan,’ kahit na sumagot naman ako. Hindi nga lang sa gusto nila,” she said.
The Vice President figured in a similar heated exchange with Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who questioned why the government needs to spend P10 million for a book that Duterte authored and wants to distribute to children.
READ: DepEd says 'no role' in VP Sara Duterte's children's book
Despite these incidents, the Vice President said that she still respects Congress power to determine how the government should spend taxpayers’ money annually.
“Nakalagay ‘yan sa ating Saligang Batas na ang Kongreso natin ang mayroong ‘power of the purse.’ Kaya nga diba mayroong mga budget hearings,” Duterte said.
“Kinikilala natin ‘yan kaya nga pumunta tayo doon sa Senate hearing. Pumunta tayo doon sa House of Representatives na hearing dahil nagpresenta tayo ng budget. Ang ginawa ko lang ay sinabi ko na i-forego namin ‘yung question and answer na parte ng budget hearing,” she said.
Duterte said foregoing the chance to answer lawmakers’ queries about the OVP’s proposed budget did not mean that she refused scrutiny over her office’s funds.
“Napakahalaga sa akin na malaman ng taumbayan ang Office of the Vice President budget proposal kaya nga bago kami pumunta sa Senate, bago kami pumunta sa House ay pinublish namin ‘yung budget proposal namin sa aming website sa Office of the Vice President, sa social media platforms namin,” she said.
“Ginawa namin siyang madaling intindihin ng taumbayan, kung saan papunta ‘yung budget proposal ng Office of the Vice President,” she said.
Duterte reiterated that she did not want to engage in further discussions with House members because she felt that they were using the budget deliberations to launch political attacks.
“Kaya, fino-forego na namin ‘yung question and answer, unang-una, dahil nakikita namin na ginagamit siya ng ibang mga miyembro, iilan na mga miyembro ng Kongreso para umatake sa akin dahil hindi kami magkasama sa pulitika,” she said.
“Pangalawa, kasi ang budget ng Pilipinas ay hawak lang ng dalawang tao,” she said, without elaborating.
Duterte made headlines recently after House lawmakers questioned her on confidential funds in 2023.
READ: VP Duterte says no misuse of OVP confidential funds
The Vice President asked why ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro — who started the discussion on the OVP’s confidential funds — was allowed to have a seat in the chamber when she was “convicted of child abuse.”
House Appropriations vice chairperson and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo asked Duterte to “please act in a respectful manner,” but the Vice President replied that she was being “crucified” by the panel.
Duterte eventually asked the Appropriations Committee to change Quimbo as the presiding officer of the OVP’s budget hearing, but the Marikina lawmaker denied the request and reiterated that the vice president has no power to decide which House member should lead budget deliberations.
'Bakit mo ako kinu-crucify?' Sara Duterte spars with House members as budget hearing turns personal
“Sa palagay ko, hindi lang sanay ang iilan na mga miyembro ng House of Representatives na hindi nila makuha ‘yung gusto nila at gusto nilang marinig na sagot at hindi sanay ‘yung mga iilan na mga representatives natin na sinasagot sila sa kanilang mga patutsada,” Duterte said in her recent interview.
“Kaya sa tingin ko, isa din itong parang atake din nila na parang: ‘Oh, bratinella ‘yan,’ kahit na sumagot naman ako. Hindi nga lang sa gusto nila,” she said.
The Vice President figured in a similar heated exchange with Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who questioned why the government needs to spend P10 million for a book that Duterte authored and wants to distribute to children.
READ: DepEd says 'no role' in VP Sara Duterte's children's book
Despite these incidents, the Vice President said that she still respects Congress power to determine how the government should spend taxpayers’ money annually.
“Nakalagay ‘yan sa ating Saligang Batas na ang Kongreso natin ang mayroong ‘power of the purse.’ Kaya nga diba mayroong mga budget hearings,” Duterte said.
“Kinikilala natin ‘yan kaya nga pumunta tayo doon sa Senate hearing. Pumunta tayo doon sa House of Representatives na hearing dahil nagpresenta tayo ng budget. Ang ginawa ko lang ay sinabi ko na i-forego namin ‘yung question and answer na parte ng budget hearing,” she said.
Duterte said foregoing the chance to answer lawmakers’ queries about the OVP’s proposed budget did not mean that she refused scrutiny over her office’s funds.
“Napakahalaga sa akin na malaman ng taumbayan ang Office of the Vice President budget proposal kaya nga bago kami pumunta sa Senate, bago kami pumunta sa House ay pinublish namin ‘yung budget proposal namin sa aming website sa Office of the Vice President, sa social media platforms namin,” she said.
“Ginawa namin siyang madaling intindihin ng taumbayan, kung saan papunta ‘yung budget proposal ng Office of the Vice President,” she said.
Duterte reiterated that she did not want to engage in further discussions with House members because she felt that they were using the budget deliberations to launch political attacks.
“Kaya, fino-forego na namin ‘yung question and answer, unang-una, dahil nakikita namin na ginagamit siya ng ibang mga miyembro, iilan na mga miyembro ng Kongreso para umatake sa akin dahil hindi kami magkasama sa pulitika,” she said.
“Pangalawa, kasi ang budget ng Pilipinas ay hawak lang ng dalawang tao,” she said, without elaborating.
WHAT PALACE, LAWMAKERS SAY
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez said there was no truth to Duterte’s claim that only two people have control over the Philippine government’s budget.
“Dalawa lang ang humahawak ng budget sa Pilipinas? Obviously that is not true,” Chavez said.
In her latest interview, Duterte claimed: “Ang budget ng Pilipinas ay hawak lang ng dalawang tao.” She did not elaborate.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro urged Duterte to “stop the drama” and just explain how she spent the OVP’s confidential funds.
"Dapat sa House of Representatives na siya nagpaliwanag kesa sa isang video na sila rin ang gumawa. Mas maganda na humarap siya bukas sa komite at doon magpaliwanag,” Castro added.
“It is crucial that Vice President Duterte provides a clear and detailed explanation to Congress and to the Filipino people. This is not about political attacks. It is about ensuring that public resources are used properly and justly.”
House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre urged the Vice President to attend the resumption of the House panel deliberations on her office’s budget on Tuesday.
“If she claims not to be a ‘spoiled brat,’ she must prove it by respecting the process and providing the answers we need to evaluate her office’s budget,” he added.
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez said there was no truth to Duterte’s claim that only two people have control over the Philippine government’s budget.
“Dalawa lang ang humahawak ng budget sa Pilipinas? Obviously that is not true,” Chavez said.
In her latest interview, Duterte claimed: “Ang budget ng Pilipinas ay hawak lang ng dalawang tao.” She did not elaborate.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro urged Duterte to “stop the drama” and just explain how she spent the OVP’s confidential funds.
"Dapat sa House of Representatives na siya nagpaliwanag kesa sa isang video na sila rin ang gumawa. Mas maganda na humarap siya bukas sa komite at doon magpaliwanag,” Castro added.
“It is crucial that Vice President Duterte provides a clear and detailed explanation to Congress and to the Filipino people. This is not about political attacks. It is about ensuring that public resources are used properly and justly.”
House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre urged the Vice President to attend the resumption of the House panel deliberations on her office’s budget on Tuesday.
“If she claims not to be a ‘spoiled brat,’ she must prove it by respecting the process and providing the answers we need to evaluate her office’s budget,” he added.
“It is our duty to ask tough questions, and it’s her duty as an elected official to respond thoroughly and with clarity. Dismissing our queries as ‘patutsada’ undermines the process and the institution we are all part of. We ask for professionalism,” added House Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig Second District Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora.
“It is our duty to ask tough questions, and it’s her duty as an elected official to respond thoroughly and with clarity. Dismissing our queries as ‘patutsada’ undermines the process and the institution we are all part of. We ask for professionalism,” added House Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig Second District Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora.
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House Assistant Majority Leader and AKO BICOL party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon urged the Vice President to stop framing the hearing as a personal attack.
“The refusal to answer questions about the confidential funds only raises more concerns. If she believes she has done no wrong, she should welcome the chance to explain her office’s actions. Public service requires transparency and humility, especially in handling public funds,” he said.
The OVP said the second part of Duterte’s interview would be released on September 10.
Duterte's office has yet to respond if she would attend the second hearing or just send a representative. – With a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News
READ: 'It's her prerogative,' Marcos Jr. says of VP Duterte's apology to KOJC members
House Assistant Majority Leader and AKO BICOL party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon urged the Vice President to stop framing the hearing as a personal attack.
“The refusal to answer questions about the confidential funds only raises more concerns. If she believes she has done no wrong, she should welcome the chance to explain her office’s actions. Public service requires transparency and humility, especially in handling public funds,” he said.
The OVP said the second part of Duterte’s interview would be released on September 10.
Duterte's office has yet to respond if she would attend the second hearing or just send a representative. – With a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News
READ: 'It's her prerogative,' Marcos Jr. says of VP Duterte's apology to KOJC members
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