00:00Never again. That was the answer of Vice President Sara Duterte when she was asked if she will be able to defend herself against the Marcos.
00:08The vice president looked at the camera and pointed out that the OVP used the wrong photo.
00:13But she got up and left.
00:16First news, Ian Cruz.
00:23Please stand up and raise your right hand.
00:25Vice President Sara Duterte was just seated while the resource persons from the Budget Department and the Commission on Audit
00:33from the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability were discussing.
00:38The vice president was the first one to be questioned.
00:41What's in your rules, witnesses are the only ones voting.
00:44You don't have rules for the resource persons.
00:48Ma'am, that's just a term, but you are also considered as a resource person.
00:59Yes, sir. I am a resource person.
01:02You are also a witness and a resource person.
01:05The vice representative, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, defended the vice president.
01:09We cannot just trivialize.
01:12You are also a witness and a resource person.
01:16They are not the same.
01:18The Supreme Court says they are not the same.
01:20And somebody who appears to be the accused has a different tier of protection from a witness.
01:26The point of the honorable Arroyo is well taken.
01:30But we will proceed to the outtaking.
01:33If the vice president refused to take her oath, we will respect that.
01:41The hearing was followed by a privileged speech of Manila representative, Rolando Valeriano,
01:47who pointed out the wrong use of the OVP fund.
01:51But in the end, they did not do anything wrong and the fund was not confiscated.
01:56If there are any audit findings, they are ready to answer it in court.
02:01This is the reason why she is the point of investigation in politics.
02:06What we are witnessing now is no ordinary legislative inquiry.
02:12This exercise is a well-funded and coordinated political attack.
02:18This much is evident from the very words of the privileged speech that prompted this inquiry.
02:28A speech that's simply meant to say, do not vote for Sara on 2028.
02:36It is clear to me that this inquiry is not about misused funds, accountability or governance.
02:44Instead, it is solely aimed at discrediting my name and my office to prevent future political contests.
02:54What you are trying to do is make a case for impeachment.
03:02I am not a candidate for the upcoming election.
03:07In the last hearing of the House Appropriations Panel,
03:10VP Sara emphasized the importance of spending confidential funds of the OVP in 2022.
03:17The Appropriations Committee also recommended that the OVP budget of more than Php 1 billion be spent for 2025.
03:24You have the complete freedom to do whatever you wish with the OVP budget.
03:31If you feel that all the documentary submissions are not enough,
03:37then by all means, don't give a budget.
03:40You may try to destroy me.
03:42You can skin me alive and throw my ashes to the wind.
03:48But let it be known, you will find me unbowed.
03:54The vice-president approached Ms. Chua and asked her to return to her seat.
03:57May I request to leave the inquiry?
04:01Ma'am, you may leave considering that you did not vote.
04:06Ma'am, you may leave considering that you did not vote.
04:11We know that you are doing a lot of things.
04:14The vice-president is excused.
04:18Even if the Committee on Good Government is called again,
04:21the vice-president is not sure if he will be able to attend the hearing again.
04:25It all depends on what the committee will do.
04:29In the ambush interview,
04:31Vice-President Duterte said that Bicenal Antara is already doing what the bodies are doing
04:34to prepare for the impeachment against him.
04:37What they are doing is very obvious.
04:41They are practicing what they will do.
04:45It's just our job.
04:46With respect to impeachment, I don't know anything about it.
04:49So, I don't know.
04:52I have no idea about impeachment.
04:54We are just doing our job.
04:56Even if he was not accused,
04:58Vice-President Duterte responded to the statement of Speaker Martin Romualdez
05:03that they will not consent to the hypocrisy and evasion of government agencies regarding the budget.
05:10I know that because you are asking me about his speech.
05:16I am saying that what they are doing inside is what he described in his speech.
05:27For now, they have not talked to President Bongbong Marcos yet.
05:32They last talked to him when he served as Education Secretary.
05:37No, we did not talk to him.
05:41We are not friends.
05:43At first, we just met because we became running mates.
05:47And he asked if there is a chance for him to have a tandem with the Marcos.
05:52Oh, never again.
05:53This is the first news, Ian Cruz for GMA Integrated News.
06:23For more information, go to www.gma.gov.
