By Junex Doronio

MANILA — House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd District Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe on Monday (November 25, 2024) strongly condemned the misleading narratives spread by Vice President Sara Duterte and her allies regarding the detention of her chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, at the House of Representatives.

“It is outrageous that Vice President Duterte and her supporters are distorting the truth. The House has always respected due process and upheld the legal rights of detainees,” Dalipe asserted.

“The timeline clearly shows that the allegations of denying lawyers entry are baseless and untrue,” he added.

Dalipe emphasized that Duterte herself acted as Lopez’s legal counsel during crucial hours, along with Atty. Lito Go, who was granted immediate access upon arrival.

“These claims are nothing but an attempt to tarnish the credibility of the House while ignoring the reality that legal representation was fully respected,” Dalipe said.

The Majority Leader also criticized Duterte for obstructing House personnel in carrying out the order to transfer Lopez from the House custodial facility to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.

“Instead of complying with lawful processes, the Vice President chose to hold a press conference at midnight. Is this the behavior of someone who respects the rule of law?” Dalipe questioned.

The Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability had earlier ordered Lopez detained for contempt during its investigation into Duterte’s alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds.

However, due to Duterte’s repeated security breaches, including her insistence on accompanying Lopez in detention, the committee decided to transfer Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Women. This transfer was obstructed by Duterte, delaying its implementation.

For humanitarian reasons, House Secretary General Reginald S. Velasco prioritized Lopez’s health and directed her temporary stay at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

Dalipe said the House will not allow its integrity to be undermined by misinformation.

“We urge the public to see through these blatant attempts to twist the facts and derail the pursuit of justice,” he added.

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By Junex Doronio

MANILA – House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe of Zamboanga City on Thursday (21 November 2024) criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for what he called a calculated strategy of evasion and deflection to avoid accountability for the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) under her leadership.

“Huwag kang pa-victim. Tama na ang pambubudol. The Vice President should stop using her staff as human shields. It’s time she faces Congress, answers the questions, and stop blaming others for her failures and fear of accountability,” Dalipe said.

The Majority Leader was responding to Duterte’s claim that her staff and officials, whom she described as non-politicians, did not deserve the scrutiny brought by the House investigation into the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the OVP and DepEd, which she led until resigning as Education Secretary in July.

Dalipe dismissed Duterte’s remarks as “another budol tactic from the Vice President.”

“The Vice President has been hiding while letting her staff take the heat. This is cowardice disguised as victimhood,” Dalipe added.

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, also known as the House Blue Ribbon Committee, has held six hearings to investigate the questionable use of confidential funds by the OVP and DepEd.

Despite the gravity of the issue, Vice President Duterte has attended only one hearing — the first — where she refused to take an oath, read a prepared statement, and left without answering any questions from lawmakers.

“After six hearings, why has she refused to appear again? Instead, she sends career officials who have no personal knowledge of how these funds were used,” Dalipe pointed out.

Key OVP officials described as part of Duterte’s “inner circle”—Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta, and husband-and-wife Edward and Sunshine Charry Fajarda—have repeatedly ignored House invitations and subpoenas, resulting in contempt citations and arrest orders.

The inquiry took a dramatic turn during the sixth hearing when OVP Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez finally appeared after multiple invitations and a subpoena.

However, her evasive answers and apparent attempts to shield herself from accountability led to her being cited for contempt and detained by the House for “undue interference in the proceedings.”

“Instead of answering the questions directly, Vice President Duterte spins a narrative to portray herself as a victim of political persecution. The truth is, this isn’t about politics—it’s about accountability,” Dalipe emphasized.

The lawmaker from Zamboanga City stressed the House’s responsibility to ensure public funds are spent responsibly and transparently.

“It is Congress’s duty to ensure that every peso of taxpayers’ money is used properly and for the benefit of the people. If there’s nothing to hide, there’s no reason to dodge questions,” Dalipe said. “But the continued evasion and attempts to shield her actions only suggest there’s something Duterte doesn’t want the public to know.”

Dalipe challenged the Vice President to stop evading and face Congress directly.

“Seeking the truth is not an attack—it is our responsibility as public officials entrusted with the people’s money,” he said.

He reiterated: “Stop hiding behind your staff and career officials. Stop using them as scapegoats to avoid answering the nation’s questions. Face Congress and explain yourself.”

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