Former President Rodrigo Duterte and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro are at the center of controversy in the Philippine House of Representatives. In an interview with reporters, Secretary General Reginald Velasco revealed that many lawmakers were deeply offended by Duterte’s tirades against the House, considering them a serious attack.
Lawmakers are perplexed as to why Duterte would label the House as the most corrupt government institution, especially when it is subject to regular checks and balances, including audits by the Commission on Audit. During a televised program on October 10, Duterte accused House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of distributing pork barrel funds to lawmakers. He also reportedly threatened Rep. France Castro for advocating the realignment of confidential funds.
When asked about their reactions to Duterte’s statements, Velasco confirmed that lawmakers were not only offended but also felt threatened by the former president. Duterte’s remarks seemed to suggest the possibility of a people power movement if government agencies were not audited. Velasco also stated that he didn’t know if Duterte was serious when issuing the alleged threats against Castro, but acknowledged that Castro had the right to interpret them as a serious death threat.
In the same interview, Duterte disclosed that he had advised his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, to be transparent about the purpose of confidential funds, which he claimed were meant to eliminate communist individuals like Castro. This revelation further intensified concerns among lawmakers.
Party leaders in the House have already condemned Duterte’s threats and urged him to cease insinuating harm against lawmakers. They stressed that if Duterte had sufficient basis for his allegations, he should file appropriate cases instead of resorting to threats. Furthermore, a small committee assigned to resolve amendments in the proposed 2024 national budget clarified that no confidential funds were allocated to the Office of the Vice President, the Department of Education, and other government agencies mentioned by Duterte.
Overall, the situation has caused a rift between Duterte and the House, with party leaders expressing their support for the former president in the past but now denouncing his actions. The controversy surrounding Duterte’s statements has created significant uncertainty and tension within the Philippine political landscape.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
