📷ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro and former Rep. Antonio Tinio today called out Vice President Sara Duterte’s theatrical outburst during the witching hour at the House of Representatives as a calculated diversion from mounting corruption allegations regarding her confidential funds.
“This melodrama is clearly orchestrated to deflect public attention from the real issue – the questionable use of P125 million in confidential funds spent in just 11 days last December 2022,” Castro stated. “The Vice President refuses to directly answer questions about these funds during budget hearings, and now resorts to creating controversy to change the narrative.”
“Ginagawa niyang circus ang Kongreso para mailihis ang usapin sa mga seryosong alegasyon ng katiwalian. Ang drama ay hindi sasagot sa mga katanungan tungkol sa hindi mapatunayan na paggamit ng confidential funds,” Castro added.
Former Rep. Tinio emphasized the gravity of the corruption allegations: “Nakita nating peke ang mga accomplishment reports, walang matibay na documentation, at may mga pinekeng pangalan pa. Ang COA mismo ay naglabas ng notice of disallowance dahil sa mga paglabag sa paggamit ng confidential funds.”
“Instead of answering these serious allegations, the Vice President chooses to put on a show and portray herself as a victim. The House leadership should not be distracted by these theatrics and must proceed with its investigation of these fund irregularities,” Tinio stressed.
Castro called on Congress to maintain focus on the corruption investigation: “We challenge the House leadership to support impeachment efforts in light of these brazen maneuvers. The November 25 hearing of the Committee on Good Governance must proceed as scheduled to get to the bottom of these allegations.”
“Hindi dapat magpadala sa drama. Ang kailangan ng taumbayan ay katotohanan at pananagutan, hindi palabas,” Castro concluded.#
