Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday batted back at Vice President Sara Duterte, saying that she had only done her job as a lawmaker by scrutinizing the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) confidential funds (CF) with no intention to stir any drama.
"Trabaho lang, walang drama. Akala ko ba, VP Sara, the OVP can live without confidential funds? Bakit parang pinapawisan na yata kayo dyan, budget hearing pa lang? Lahat naman ng ahensya naglalabas ng proposed budget. Hindi kayo special," she stressed in a statement.
Hontiveros pointed out there is nothing "amusing" about doing one's job in Senate.
"Kung meron mang “amusing”, yan ay yung halos kalahating oras na turo-turo, pag-iwas sa tanong, paikot-ikot na sagot, at pagbabalu-baluktot ng sitwasyon," she said, pertaining to Duterte's responses to her interogrations during recent budget briefing.
The Senator said the Vice President seemingly turned the Senate hearings into a circus.
Hontiveros also stressed that she does not wish to have access to the OVP's "illegal confidential funds".
"Dalawang former Senate President na ang nagsabi—Sen. Drilon at Sen. Pimentel — na yung paglipat ng pondo mula OP to OVP ay ilegal at unconstitutional," she said.
The Senator furthered that the Vice President should not divert the main issue — why does Duterte's office, OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd), have bigger proposed CF than the Department of National Defense (DND) and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).
"Bakit ba kailangan niya ng napakalaking pondo na walang audit o disclosure sa publiko?" she added.
Hontiveros then challenged Duterte to defend the confidential publicly, if she is indeed confident about it.
"Kaysa sa mga personal na atake at pag-iwas sa tanong, mas maganda sigurong kung linawin na lang ni VP Sara ang pondo ng opisina nya para sa isang national budget na mas transparent, mas epektibo, at mas tutugon sa pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan," the Senator remarked.
On Monday morning, the Vice President issued a statement hitting Hontiveros as well as the Makabayan bloc lawmakers.
"Senator Risa Hontiveros, while she amuses the nation with her flair for drama, could only wish the 2022 OVP CF was accessed illegally," Duterte said.
