ANG 1.6-milyong opisyal at empleyado ng pamahalaan, na pinangungunahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., ay may pananagutan sa 115 milyong Pilipino at si Vice President Sara Duterte ay hindi exempted dito.

Pinaalalahanan nina Assistant Majority Leader Jude Acidre at Rep. Joel Chua, chairman ng House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, ang nagbitiw na kalihim ng edukasyon na hindi sana siya na-impeach kung agad lamang siyang tumugon sa mga tanong sa kanya kaugnay ng paggamit ng kanyang pondo.

“It’s not an option for us (government officials) to face accountability. It’s part of our sworn duty especially considering that with great power comes great responsibility. And this is the VP we’re talking about,” ani Acidre, mula sa party-list na Tingog at chairman ng House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs.

“We have to remember that she is our presidential successor. So, it is for this reason that we give utmost importance to the second highest elected official of the land, that she should not merely think of herself but rather show to the Filipino people that she is accountable,” dagdag pa niya.

Napansin ni Acidre na ang press conference ni Duterte noong Pebrero 6 ay idinaos upang ipakita na hindi siya apektado sa pag-impeach sa kanya ng Kamara, na sinang-ayunan ng 215 kongresista ngunit malinaw na taliwas ito sa katotohanan.

“For lack of a better word, it was staged to present that the VP was not affected with the issue. But the fact that the press conference was held clearly showed they were trying to divert the narrative and making sure that this is not affecting her in any way,” aniya.

Sa halip na sisihin si Duterte sa kanyang kasalukuyang kalagayan, binigyang-diin ni Acidre na kung tumugon lamang ang anak ng dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa mga katanungan kaugnay ng umano’y P612.5 milyong kaduda-dudang paggamit ng confidential funds, hindi sana ito umabot sa punto ng impeachment.

“This issue is about public accountability, and I think that should be the message: That the VP should have responded right away in all of these accusations. They (VP camp) have been trying very hard to downplay and evade these, and invoke persecution,” aniya.

“But, of course now it has reached the impeachment, it will soon reach the Impeachment Court,” dagdag pa ni Acidre. “And this is not just purely political. This all boils down to public accountability,” deklarasyon ng opisyal ng Kamara.

Si Chua – na ang “Blue Ribbon” panel ay nagsagawa ng pagsisiyasat sa umano’y maling paggamit ng confidential funds sa tanggapan ni Duterte, pati na rin sa Department of Education na kanyang pinamunuan mula Hulyo 2022 hanggang Hulyo 2024 – ay ipinagtanggol ang inihaing impeachment complaint sa Senado.

“If public funds were misappropriated, the people have the right to know, and as prosecutors, we have the duty to uncover any such misappropriation. We will consider requesting subpoenas for bank records and, if necessary, seek judicial enforcement to ensure compliance,” aniya.

Kabilang sa Articles of Impeachment laban kay Duterte ang mga alegasyon ng ill-gotten wealth.

Ang 11-kataong House Prosecution Panel ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) at sa Commission on Audit (CoA) upang masubaybayan ang mga transaksyong pinansyal na maaaring konektado sa mga umano’y iregularidad sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.