Graphics by: Samuel Yap / INQUIRER.web
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 funds seasons with totally different outcomes-reenactment, pork points, and realignments-but there was no telling what’s in retailer in a yr.
Discussions on the 2025 Common Appropriations Invoice remained gripping however little did the general public know that what was about to transpire in August 2024 will probably be so necessary that it could push the funds deliberations to the sidelines.
The quad committee
When the Govt turned over the P6.352 trillion Nationwide Expenditures Program for 2025 to the Home, the main focus was on the best way to handle allocations regardless of restricted sources.
Nonetheless, consideration quickly turned to the quad committee, an excellent panel created to test on totally different however seemingly intertwined points linked to the previous administration.
Article continues after this commercial
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 research unlawful actions linked to Pogos, the illicit drug commerce, and the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) previously administration’s drug conflict.
Article continues after this commercial
READ: Home OKs reso tasking panels to collectively probe Pogo, medicine, EJK points https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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 medicine 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 considerations that some cops weren’t adhering to plain 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 doable 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 doubt that the 4 panels drew a number of consideration because of the 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.
In line with Guban, former surroundings undersecretary Benny Antiporda despatched an emissary-former Presidential Process Pressure on Media Safety director Paul Gutierrez-to warn him that he will probably 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 identify Paolo Duterte, Mans Carpio, Yang in 2018 shabu import mess’ https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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 beneath the noses of Customs officers.
READ: 1 ton of shabu value P6.8B eludes PDEA, PNPhttps://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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.web/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 power to implement a rewards system within the drug conflict, identical to what was executed in Davao Metropolis.
In line with 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.web/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 Towards Worldwide Humanitarian Regulation, Genocide, and Different Crimes Towards Humanity.
This was for his or her function in implementing the drug conflict.
READ: Quad comm seeks crimes towards humanity raps vs Duterte, Bato, Bong Go https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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 funds for 2025.
The appropriations panel’s hearings got here whereas tensions ran excessive inside 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 referred to as Marcos a drug addict.
READ’Unhealthy shot na ’yan sa akin’ https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/1931379/liza-marcos-admits-snubbing-sara-duterte
Whereas the President and the Vice President mentioned that the unwell emotions of the First Woman wouldn’t have an effect on working relations, Duterte finally resigned from her publish as training secretary.
READ
https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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 deal with 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 funds in a question-and-answer format”, and including that she is leaving it as much as the Home to determine on the funds.
Duterte’s refusal to answer to lawmakers led the committee to defer deliberations on the OVP’s funds to a different date. Nonetheless, neither Duterte nor the OVP confirmed up within the subsequent listening to, which prompted the committee to chop the workplace’s funds from P2.037 billion to P733 million.
READ: Duterte refuses to reply OVP funds questions, sparks Home stress https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/1977102/duterte-refuses-to-answer-ovp-budget-questions-sparks-house-tension
With Duterte’s actions and Fee on Audit (COA) reviews exhibiting 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 research the problems.
Different lawmakers-ACT Lecturers Rep. France Castro, Ako Bicol Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro-also individually referred to as for an investigation into the Division of Training (DepEd) transactions as a result of totally different revelations on procurement issues.
READ: Solons need probe into totally different points hounding DepEd https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/1979410/solons-want-probe-into-different-issues-hounding-deped
Ghosts from the previous
The Dutertes, particularly the Vice President, confronted one in every of their hardest questions in September because the investigation of the Home’s blue ribbon committee uncovered totally different anomalies. On September 25, former training undersecretary Gloria Jumamil Mercado claimed that she acquired envelopes containing cash from Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda supposedly coming from Vice President Duterte.
Mercado mentioned that she believed the envelopes have been meant to affect her as she used to go DepEd’s procuring division.
READ: Alleged ‘envelopes’ from Duterte might have aimed to affect ex-DepEd Usec https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/1986814/alleged-envelopes-from-duterte-may-have-aimed-to-influence-ex-deped-usec
Additional, Mercado mentioned that she was requested by Duterte’s chief-of-staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, to resign. Mercado mentioned this request from Lopez got here after she opposed recommendations from former Training Assistant Secretary Reynold Munsayac that bidders within the computerization program ought to simply “focus on amongst themselves” the destiny of the bidding.
“It was as if I had turn out to be 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 mentioned.
READ: Ex-DepEd exec: VP Duterte’s workers requested me to resign over buy subject https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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 non-public corporations.
Mercado, nevertheless clarified that the difficulty raised by Duterte was really an official authorities program-a system that might 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.web/1986969/ex-usec-mercado-no-money-solicited-in-official-deped-program
Mary Grace Piattos, impeachment
Other than Mercado’s testimony, the Home blue ribbon committee additionally revealed that there have been acknowledgement receipts (ARs) for CF expenditures that bore the identify 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 acquired by a sure Kokoy Villamin. Nonetheless, the signatures and handwriting of Villamin differed.
READ: Home probe: OVP, DepEd CFs acquired by similar man, totally different signatures https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/2007257/house-probe-ovp-deped-cfs-received-by-same-man-different-signatures
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) then mentioned that the names Mary Grace Piattos and Kokoy Villamin don’t exist of their dwell start, marriage, and loss of life registry. Additional, PSA mentioned that they haven’t any information of the greater than 400 names discovered on receipts for the DepEd’s CFs.
READ: No PSA information of 400 names in DepEd secret fund’s receipts – solon https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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 chance that the receipts have been faked. Aside from 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.web/2009076/ovp-exec-i-left-secret-funds-to-security-head-as-per-vp-saras-order
1-Rider Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez mentioned he believed this act is tantamount to technical malversation.
READ: Solon: SDO’s transfer to surrender fund launch function might result in malversation https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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 non-public 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 non secular 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.web/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. Nonetheless, lawmakers grew pissed off over her claims that she shouldn’t 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 Companies 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.web/2007366/solons-quiz-lopez-over-claims-she-doesnt-know-ovp-secret-fund-deals
As a consequence of these questions and points, the panel determined to quote Lopez for contempt, for undue interference within the hearings.
This order would finally 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 advanced.
However as a substitute of leaving the world 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 deliver durian to the lawmaker.
READ: OVP workers enter Rep. Duterte’s workplace by claiming they may deliver durian https://newsinfo.inquirer.web/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. As a consequence of considerations 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 mentioned she had talked to somebody about killing the three in case she will get assassinated.
These threats triggered the Nationwide Bureau of Investigation to begin an investigation of Duterte, whereas impeachment complaints have been additionally primarily based on this subject. However with the Home resuming session by January 13 and shortly adjourning by February 8-and then returning in June after the midterm elections-it is unclear if there’s 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’s nonetheless an opportunity that it could be fast-tracked utilizing an omnibus petition, the place three-thirds of all Home members, or 103 lawmakers, will file the criticism.
Ought to this occur, the criticism would go straight to the Senate which might act as an impeachment courtroom.
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please attempt once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
Regardless of the totally different eventualities, it seems one factor is obvious: 2025 will probably be simply as busy, noisy, and nerve-wracking as 2024 for the Home of Representatives, particularly with the midterm elections simply across the nook.