Marilyn Cahatol

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17728681412591772868136872.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Vice President Sara Duterte gestures during a press briefing at the Cybergate building in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte gestures during a press briefing at the Cybergate building in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Makabayan bloc urged Vice President Sara Duterte to face the House Committee on Justice inquiry into her alleged misuse of confidential funds, saying they reject Duterte’s “recycled claim” the proceedings are a political weapon and a “conspiracy” against her.</p><p>The committee is moving forward on two impeachment complaints against Duterte. The vice president will have an opportunity to answer the allegations raised before the panel.</p><p>&quot;These are rehashed lines—&#x27;gasgas na script&#x27;—meant to evade accountability by playing the victim,” the Makabayan bloc said of claim of a conspiracy. </p><p>The Makabayan bloc, composed of ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co, said “[l]abeling congressional oversight as a ‘fishing expedition’ does not erase the questions; it only strengthens the need for scrutiny.”</p><p>“Confidential funds involve public money. When millions are requested, rushed, and shrouded in secrecy, the Filipino people have every right to demand answers,” they said.</p><p>Duterte has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and has said that they are meant to keep her from running for president in the 2028 elections.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;ISSUES DEMAND CLEAR ANSWERS&#x27;</strong></div><p>The representatives countered Duterte’s claim that the impeachment complaints she is facing came first before the evidence for the allegations.</p><p>They said “red flags” raised questions on the size of funds, speed of releases, purpose and safeguards against misuse. </p><p>These, they said, were “issues that demand clear answers precisely because confidential spending is difficult to independently verify.”</p><p>Makabayan added that the vice president’s repeated reference to the Commission on Audit’s unmodified opinions is misleading, as these are “not a blanket certification that no wrongdoing occurred, especially when the spending category limits disclosure.&quot;</p><p>The COA <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/9/coa-gives-ovp-60-days-to-submit-corrections-in-2024-audit-report-2314">issued </a>an unmodified opinion for the Office of the Vice President June last year, noting that it found that the “accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of OVP as of December 31, 2024.”</p><p>An unmodified opinion is issued when an auditor “concludes that the financial statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework,” according to the COA website.</p><div> </div><div><strong>RED-TAGGING</strong></div><p>The progressive House members also pointed out that Duterte resorted to attacking Makabayan, “thinking this would exonerate her.”</p><p>“Ang pulitikong nagigipit, sa red-tagging kumakapit. It’s already 2026 pero ganyan pa rin siya,” the Makabayan solons said. </p><p>(A desperate politician resorts to red-tagging. It’s already 2026, but she is still like that.)</p><p>They urged Duterte to “stop the conspiracy talk and face the process.”</p><p>The House Committee on Justice on Thursday <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/5/sara-duterte-given-10-days-to-answer-impeachment-complaints-1154">served a notice </a>directing Duterte to respond within 10 days to the two impeachment complaints against her the panel voted sufficient in substance.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/house-panel-sara-duterte-impeachment-complaint-sufficient-in-substance-1403">House panel: Sara Duterte impeachment complaints ‘sufficient in substance’</a></div><p>The two complaints, filed separately by Fr. Joel Saballa et al and Atty. Nathaniel Cabrera, accused her of alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. </p><p>Aside from the alleged misuse of confidential funds, the complaints also cited alleged bribery of officials from the Department of Education, alleged unexplained wealth and material non-disclosure in her SALN, and the alleged contracting of an assassin supposedly to kill the President, the First Lady and the former House Speaker.</p><p>Duterte was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/5/house-impeaches-vp-sara-duterte-1551">impeached </a>by the House of Representatives February last year, which would have led to a Senate trial.</p><p>The Supreme Court, however, declared the articles of impeachment against her “unconstitutional” for violating the one-year bar rule. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/29/supreme-court-affirms-sara-duterte-impeachment-unconstitutional-1427">Supreme Court affirms Sara Duterte impeachment unconstitutional</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZsbPufua9k?si=5uK62AFKU3vFbMph" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Makabayan bloc urged Vice President Sara Duterte to face the inquiries of the House Committee on Justice into her alleged misuse of confidential funds, saying they reject Duterte’s “recycled claim” that it was a political weapon and a “conspiracy” against her.</p>

The Makabayan bloc urged Vice President Sara Duterte to face the inquiries of the House Committee on Justice into her alleged misuse of confidential funds, saying they reject Duterte’s “recycled claim” that it was a political weapon and a “conspiracy” against her.

‘Gasgas na script’: Makabayan bloc rejects conspiracy claim on Duterte impeachment proceedings

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‘Gasgas na script’: Makabayan bloc rejects conspiracy claim on Duterte impeachment proceedings

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 07, 2026 03:55 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

House of Representatives

Antonio Tinio

Sarah Elago

Renee Co

Makabayan bloc

impeachment

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