Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop on Monday assured the public that the House of Representatives will continue its investigation into Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged mishandling of government funds, despite what he described as her troubling display of anger in a recent press conference.
“Sa ganang amin, performing one’s duty should be the primordial consideration. Trabaho po namin ‘yun eh. And therefore, Dapat Walang let up to show what happened in the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was still the secretary,” Acop told a press conference.
Acop, responding to questions about Duterte’s emotional outburst during her media briefing, also expressed concern over what he perceived as a loss of composure.
“I think she is being overwhelmed by anger and hate. ‘Pag ang isang tao ay sobra-sobra ang galit, nawawala siya sa sense of decency, sa aking paningin,” Acop said.
He added that managing one’s emotions under challenging times reflects one's character, suggesting that Duterte’s anger may affect her judgment.
“How you manage ‘yung hate sa iyong katawan at ‘yung nasasaktan ka, it’s also a test of your character,” Acop pointed out.
Vice President Duterte is facing allegations of mismanaging hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) allocated to the OVP and the DepEd, where she served as secretary for two years until her resignation in July this year.
Lawmakers are demanding answers, citing a troubling lack of transparency and accountability in how these significant resources were allocated and spent.
Despite the severe nature of the allegations, Duterte has repeatedly refused to attend congressional hearings to clear her name and address the accusations of fund mismanagement.
Rather than confronting the issues surrounding the CIFs, Duterte diverted attention by launching personal attacks against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., even revisiting grievances from the 2022 elections.
During a controversial press conference, Duterte made shocking statements, admitting to imagining cutting off the President’s head and threatening to exhume the remains of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and throwing them into the West Philippine Sea.
These remarks ignited widespread outrage from both the public and lawmakers, who condemned her comments as diversionary tactics aimed at deflecting attention from the serious allegations regarding the misuse of public funds.
Acop made it clear that the House will not ease up on its mandate to investigate the matter, as he emphasized that providing any leeway would go against the responsibility of lawmakers to uphold transparency.
“‘Pag magbibigay kami ng leeway, hindi na po yata in accordance with our mandate. Ganoon po ang paningin namin doon,” Acop stressed.
When asked whether Duterte’s behavior raised concerns about her mental well-being, Acop declined to make a direct assessment, suggesting that professionals should weigh in on the matter.
“I think we are not in a position to determine that. Siguro, it could be recommended that she consult a psychologist or psychiatrist kasi sila po ang expert dito, hindi po kami,” Acop noted.
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