Home tries to extract accountability from Dutertes

Graphics by: Samuel Yap / INQUIRER.internet

MANILA, Philippines—Seasoned staffers of the Home of Representatives, together with reporters masking the beat for a very long time, know to not be overly assured when the month of August comes.

They’ve lined many finances seasons with totally different outcomes-reenactment, pork points, and realignments-but there was no telling what’s in retailer in a 12 months.

Discussions on the 2025 Basic Appropriations Invoice remained gripping however little did the general public know that what was about to transpire in August 2024 will likely be so necessary that it might push the finances deliberations to the sidelines.

The quad committee

When the Government turned over the P6.352 trillion Nationwide Expenditures Program for 2025 to the Home, the main target was on methods to handle allocations regardless of restricted sources.

Nevertheless, consideration quickly turned to the quad committee, a brilliant panel created to verify on totally different however seemingly intertwined points linked to the previous administration.

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On August 6, 2024, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales delivered a privilege speech calling on the Home to undertake Home Decision (HR) No. 1880 calling on 4 committees to analyze unlawful actions linked to Pogos, the illicit drug commerce, and the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) prior to now administration’s drug conflict.

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READ: Home OKs reso tasking panels to collectively probe Pogo, medication, EJK points https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1969977/house-oks-resolution-tasking-panels-to-jointly-probe-issues-on-pogos-drugs-ejks

Within the first half of 2024, these 4 committees have been conducting separate hearings: the Home committee on harmful medication had its eyes set on an anti-drug operation in Mexico, Pampanga the place over P3.6 billion value of shabu was discovered, whereas the committee on public order and security was taking a look at issues that some law enforcement officials weren’t adhering to straightforward working procedures throughout anti-drug operations.

For the Home committee on public accounts, questions involving land acquired by Chinese language nationals in Pampanga-suspected to be attainable websites for Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos)-were tackled.  Ultimately, the committee on human rights, upon prodding from progressive teams and the Makabayan bloc, investigated former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug conflict.

Whereas the quad committee’s scope of discussions was the topic of debates, there was little question that the 4 panels drew lots of consideration as a result of personalities concerned within the investigation..

Controversial could also be inadequate a phrase to explain discussions on the first quad committee listening to in Bacolor, Pampanga final August 16.

Rodrigo Duterte’s son, Davao Metropolis Rep. Paolo Duterte (first district) was implicated by former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban in unlawful drug smuggling.

Based on Guban, former atmosphere undersecretary Benny Antiporda despatched an emissary-former Presidential Process Power on Media Safety director Paul Gutierrez-to warn him that he will likely be killed if he talked about the names of Consultant Duterte, his brother-in-law Manases Carpio, and businessman Michael Yang as concerned within the lacking shabu cargo in 2018.

READ: ‘Don’t title Paolo Duterte, Mans Carpio, Yang in 2018 shabu import mess’ https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1973609/paolo-duterte-mans-carpio-michael-yang-magnetic-lifter-shabu

The unlawful drug cargo, hid inside magnetic lifters, have been supposedly smuggled into the nation proper below the noses of Customs officers.

READ: 1 ton of shabu value P6.8B eludes PDEA, PNPhttps://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1019817/1-ton-of-shabu-worth-p6-8b-eludes-pdea-pnp

Consultant Duterte denied figuring out Guban, noting that the previous Customs official can’t be thought-about a credibie witness as a result of he was cited in contempt by the Senate earlier than.

READ: Rep. Duterte denies figuring out Guban, calls him not credible as witness https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1973645/rep-duterte-says-he-doesnt-know-ex-boc-exec-star-witness-only-for-credible-ones

At one level within the hearings, former police colonel Royina Garma admitted that former president Duterte messaged her in Might 2016-after the ex-leader gained the presidential race-about constructing a job drive to implement a rewards system within the drug conflict, similar to what was carried out in Davao Metropolis.

Based on Garma, the so-called Davao template concerned offering money rewards value P20,000 to P1 million to cops who kill drug suspects.

READ: Garma says Davao drug conflict template, rewards system utilized in total PH https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1991901/garma-says-davao-drug-war-template-rewards-system-applied-in-entire-ph

After 12 hearings, the quad committee got here out with suggestions to cost Duterte, former Philippine Nationwide Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa, former particular assistant to the president and now Senator Bong Go, amongst others, for violating Republic Act No. 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes In opposition to Worldwide Humanitarian Regulation, Genocide, and Different Crimes In opposition to Humanity.

This was for his or her position in implementing the drug conflict.

READ: Quad comm seeks crimes towards humanity raps vs Duterte, Bato, Bong Go https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2016619/quad-comm-seeks-crimes-against-humanity-raps-vs-duterte-bato-bong-go

Showdown

Because the quad committee was doing its factor, the Home committee on appropriations began deliberating on the proposed P6.352 trillion nationwide finances for 2025.

The appropriations panel’s hearings got here whereas tensions ran excessive throughout the Uniteam camp-the marketing campaign tandem of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.  Final April, Marcos’ spouse, First Woman Liza Araneta Marcos admitted in an unique interview on Tune-in Kay Tunying that she has been snubbing Sara Duterte after the Vice President was seen laughing when former president Duterte known as Marcos a drug addict.

READ’Unhealthy shot na ’yan sa akin’ https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1931379/liza-marcos-admits-snubbing-sara-duterte

Whereas the President and the Vice President stated that the in poor health emotions of the First Woman wouldn’t have an effect on working relations, Duterte ultimately resigned from her put up as schooling secretary.

READ
 https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1952974/vice-pres-sara-duterte-resigns-as-deped-secretary-says-palace

Underneath a Home headed by a Romualdez, a showdown between the 2 households and their allies appeared inevitable: final August 27, Duterte went into the lion’s den-before the appropriations committee-to tackle criticisms and alleged plans to question her.

The Home management denied such plans.

When lawmakers requested the Vice President about confidential funds (CF) lodged within the Workplace of the Vice President (OVP), Duterte merely replied by saying that she forgoes “the chance to defend the finances in a question-and-answer format”, and including that she is leaving it as much as the Home to resolve on the finances.

Duterte’s refusal to answer to lawmakers led the committee to defer deliberations on the OVP’s finances to a different date.  Nevertheless, neither Duterte nor the OVP confirmed up within the subsequent listening to, which prompted the committee to chop the workplace’s finances from P2.037 billion to P733 million.

READ: Duterte refuses to reply OVP finances questions, sparks Home stress https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1977102/duterte-refuses-to-answer-ovp-budget-questions-sparks-house-tension

With Duterte’s actions and Fee on Audit (COA) studies displaying irregularities in lots of CF expenditures within the  OVP, Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano (second district) delivered a privilege speech asking the Home committee on good authorities and public accountability to analyze the problems.

Different lawmakers-ACT Lecturers Rep. France Castro, Ako Bicol Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro-also individually known as for an investigation into the Division of Training (DepEd) transactions attributable to totally different revelations on procurement issues.

READ: Solons need probe into totally different points hounding DepEd https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1979410/solons-want-probe-into-different-issues-hounding-deped

Ghosts from the previous

The Dutertes, particularly the Vice President, confronted one among their hardest questions in September because the investigation of the Home’s blue ribbon committee uncovered totally different anomalies.  On September 25, former schooling undersecretary Gloria Jumamil Mercado claimed that she obtained envelopes containing cash from Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda supposedly coming from Vice President Duterte.

Mercado stated that she believed the envelopes have been meant to affect her as she used to move DepEd’s procuring division.

READ: Alleged ‘envelopes’ from Duterte might have aimed to affect ex-DepEd Usec https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1986814/alleged-envelopes-from-duterte-may-have-aimed-to-influence-ex-deped-usec

Additional, Mercado stated that she was requested by Duterte’s chief-of-staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, to resign.  Mercado stated this request from Lopez got here after she opposed ideas from former Training Assistant Secretary Reynold Munsayac that bidders within the computerization program ought to simply “talk about amongst themselves” the destiny of the bidding.

“It was as if I had develop into an unwelcome impediment, regardless of merely doing my job as undersecretary of DepEd. Previous to my assembly with Ms. Zuleika, there have been different undersecretaries and assistant secretaries who have been additionally summoned, all with the identical objective of informing them that they need to tender their resignation efficient on the identical day,” Mercado stated.

READ: Ex-DepEd exec: VP Duterte’s employees requested me to resign over buy problem https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1986803/ex-deped-exec-vp-dutertes-staff-asked-me-to-resign-over-purchase-issue

Duterte, nevertheless, dismissed Mercado’s testimony, saying that the previous DepEd official was only a disgruntled worker who was eliminated for soliciting cash from personal firms.

Mercado, nevertheless clarified that the problem raised by Duterte was really an official authorities program-a system that may have allowed Duterte to contact academics wherever she could also be.

READ: Ex-Usec Mercado: No cash solicited in official DepEd program https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/1986969/ex-usec-mercado-no-money-solicited-in-official-deped-program

Mary Grace Piattos, impeachment

Except for Mercado’s testimony, the Home blue ribbon committee additionally revealed that there have been acknowledgement receipts (ARs) for CF expenditures that bore the title Mary Grace Piattos, which Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop (second district) famous seems to be the mixed names of a well-known espresso store and model of chips.

Ultimately, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong confirmed two CF receipts-one for OVP and one other for DepEd-which have been each obtained by a sure Kokoy Villamin. Nevertheless, the signatures and handwriting of Villamin differed.

READ: Home probe: OVP, DepEd CFs obtained by similar man, totally different signatures https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2007257/house-probe-ovp-deped-cfs-received-by-same-man-different-signatures

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) then stated that the names Mary Grace Piattos and Kokoy Villamin don’t exist of their dwell delivery, marriage, and demise registry.  Additional, PSA stated that they don’t have any data of the greater than 400 names discovered on receipts for the DepEd’s CFs.

READ: No PSA data of 400 names in DepEd secret fund’s receipts – solon https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2013740/psa-no-records-of-400-names-in-deped-secret-funds-acknowledgment-receipts

Blue ribbon committee chair and Manila Rep. Joel Chua (second district). nevertheless, warned the general public that he’s extra involved concerning the risk that the receipts have been faked.  Other than that, there have been additionally revelations that particular disbursing officers (SDOs) assigned to OVP and DepEd left the disbursement of CFs to safety officers of the OVP.

Each SDOs-Gina Acosta for OVP and Edward Fajarda for DepEd-said that it was Vice President Duterte who ordered them to show over the disbursement of CFs to Vice Presidential Safety and Safety Group (VPSPG) chief Col. Raymund Dante Lachica and Col. Dennis Nolasco.

READ: OVP exec: I left secret funds to safety head as per VP Sara’s order https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2009076/ovp-exec-i-left-secret-funds-to-security-head-as-per-vp-saras-order

1-Rider Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez stated he believed this act  is tantamount to technical malversation.

READ: Solon: SDO’s transfer to surrender fund launch position might result in malversation https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2009375/solon-sdos-move-to-give-up-fund-release-role-may-lead-to-malversation

The sum of the blue ribbon committee hearings’ revelations, together with claims that Duterte was additionally concerned in EJKs, have been thought-about in impeachment complaints filed by the personal sector towards Duterte.

As of writing, there are three impeachment complaints filed: first from civil society representatives endorsed by Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña; second from progressive teams led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, endorsed by the Makabayan bloc; and third from the spiritual sector, endorsed by Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado and Aambis-Owa Rep. Lex Colada.

READ: Third impeach rap filed vs VP Duterte; Leni Robredo ally an endorser https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2017163/Third-impeach-rap-filed-vs-sara-leni-ally-an-endorser

Threats

On the November 20 listening to of the blue ribbon committee, Undersecretary Lopez appeared to clarify transactions made by the OVP.  Nevertheless, lawmakers grew pissed off over her claims that she will not be conscious of CF transactions made by their workplace, contemplating that she is the second-highest officer within the OVP.

Deputy Speaker David Suarez requested how come Lopez insisted
not figuring out concerning the OVP’s CFs when she was named by OVP Director for Administrative and Monetary Providers Rosalynne Sanchez as educated.  Later, Acop made the identical observations, noting that Lopez’s letters to COA confirmed that she knew the ins and outs of OVP’s CF transactions.

Lopez was additionally scored for OVP officers’ absence throughout hearings, regardless of repeated letters from the committee.

READ: Solons quiz Lopez over claims she doesn’t know OVP secret fund offers https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2007366/solons-quiz-lopez-over-claims-she-doesnt-know-ovp-secret-fund-deals

Attributable to these questions and points, the panel determined to quote Lopez for contempt, for undue interference within the hearings.

This order would ultimately depth stress between the Dutertes and the Marcos camp: a day after Lopez was cited for contempt, the Vice President went into the Home premises to go to her chief-of-staff, who was detained contained in the Batasang Pambansa complicated.

However as a substitute of leaving the realm by 10:00 p.m., Duterte’s convoy went into the South Wing Annex to go to the workplace of her brother, Consultant Duterte, supposedly to convey durian to the lawmaker.

READ: OVP employees enter Rep. Duterte’s workplace by claiming they may convey durian https://newsinfo.inquirer.internet/2008970/ovp-staff-enter-rep-dutertes-office-by-claiming-they-will-bring-durian

The Vice President then spent the remainder of the evening locked inside her brother’s workplace. Attributable to issues about dangers to Duterte’s safety whereas she is contained in the Home premises, the blue ribbon committee determined to switch Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Girls.

This prompted Duterte to launch a press briefing early morning of November 22, cursing President Marcos, First Woman Araneta Marcos, and Speaker Romualdez. Afterwards, Duterte additionally stated she had talked to somebody about killing the three in case she will get assassinated.

These threats triggered the Nationwide Bureau of Investigation to start out an investigation of Duterte, whereas impeachment complaints have been additionally based mostly on this problem.  However with the Home resuming session by January 13 and rapidly adjourning by February 8-and then returning in June after the midterm elections-it is unclear if there may be sufficient time to deal with the complaints.

The Makabayan bloc stays optimistic that impeachment complaints towards Duterte can nonetheless be mentioned regardless of the restricted time, as there may be nonetheless an opportunity that it might be fast-tracked utilizing an omnibus petition, the place three-thirds of all Home members, or 103 lawmakers, will file the grievance.

Ought to this occur, the grievance would go straight to the Senate which might act as an impeachment court docket.

Regardless of the totally different situations, it seems one factor is obvious: 2025 will likely be simply as busy, noisy, and nerve-wracking as 2024 for the Home of Representatives, particularly with the midterm elections simply across the nook.