By Junex Doronio
MANILA — After waiting for an hour, Vice President Sara Duterte did not show up Tuesday (10 Sept 2024) during the resumption of the House of Representatives deliberation on her office’s proposed P2.03-billion budget for 2025.
This prompted ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro to tag VP Sara “bratinella to the max” for snubbing the resumption of the House panel hearing.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. called out VP Sara and her office for “insulting” the House of Representatives.
“She is insulting this institution… I do not care even if she is the vice president. I will not allow Congress to be insulted by any agency,” Abante blurted out.
He pointed out that the lawmakers are faced with a “blank wall” due to the absence of VP Sara or any OVP representative.
“We extended courtesy by waiting for one hour,” an exasperated Committee Senior Vice Chairperson Rep. Stella Quimbo said.
“Ayaw matanong. Umiiwas sa tanong,” Quimbo noted.
In a letter to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, VP Duterte said the Office of the Vice President (OVP) had submitted the necessary documents and previously articulated position on issues regarding its budget.
“We defer entirely to the discretion and judgment of the committee regarding our proposed budget for the incoming year,” the Vice President tersely stated in her letter.
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