VP Sara Duterte Urges Lawmakers to Avoid Unreliable Witnesses Amid Budget Scrutiny

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday called on lawmakers to stop inviting resource persons who lack credibility during congressional hearings. This comes after former Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Gloria Mercado accused Duterte of giving cash envelopes worth around ₱50,000 monthly to DepEd undersecretaries and assistant secretaries.

Duterte dismissed Mercado’s allegations, claiming the former official is being used as part of a political campaign against her. “I urge our legislators to stop using witnesses who lack credibility or have questionable motives,” Duterte said.

Mercado alleged she received the envelopes between February and September 2023, purportedly upon the instruction of Duterte’s office, but claimed to have donated the money to charity.

In response, Duterte labeled Mercado as a “disgruntled former employee” who was dismissed due to “loss of trust and confidence.” She also accused Mercado of corruption and undermining colleagues.

VP’s 2025 Budget Scrutinized
Meanwhile, lawmakers questioned the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed ₱2 billion budget for 2025. House Assistant Minority Leader Gabriel Bordado Jr. argued against the allocation, citing questionable spending during Duterte’s tenure as DepEd Secretary, including ₱125 million in confidential funds spent within 11 days in December 2022.

Bordado emphasized that under former Vice President Leni Robredo, the OVP operated effectively on a much smaller budget and called for transparency in how the OVP’s funds are utilized.

Additionally, House Assistant Majority Leader Johnny Pimentel criticized the ₱112.5 million spent on Youth Leadership Summits in 2023, noting that the expenditure lacked sufficient documentation. DepEd clarified that the summits were organized by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as part of an anti-insurgency effort, not directly by the department.

Duterte dismissed the scrutiny as part of a “dry run” for potential impeachment efforts against her.