Seven officers from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) snubbed the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability’s hearing for the fourth time on Tuesday, November 5.
During the public hearing, all seven officials were absent from the panel. It was stated that the OVP Chief-of-Staff Zuleika Lopez, entered the immigration gates on Monday at 7:31 PM, for a flight bound from Manila to Los Angeles in the United States.
As for the remaining six officials, no recent travel records were found before the scheduled hearing. However, their absence countered the inquiry’s purpose, as their testimonies are required to clarify the issue of the OVP’s misuse of funds.
“For this Committee to be safe, may I respectfully move to issue a subpoena ad testificandum to all those mentioned names, and what’s issued previously to be present in the next hearing,” Abang-Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano said in light of the OVP officials’ repeated absences.
According to the Committee Secretary, the officers have been summoned a total of four times. They have failed to attend each time. A fifth invite for the said officials was requested. However, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. reiterated that he might make a motion to hold the said officers in contempt if they fail to attend the next hearing.
“This is the fourth time. This is unfair to these people here who have attended every time that they are called upon. And then we’re just going to do nothing to these people who have been invited four times? It's unfair for us too that we are in this hearing and these people kept on insulting us,” Abante expressed.
Moreover, House Deputy Speaker David “Jay-Jay” Suarez mentioned that being a public servant requires that they fulfill their duties and ensure that they exercise transparency and accountability.
“As an appointed official, having that oath that you have taken, kapag merong patawag na ginagawa, ang Kongreso, maging ang Senado, at ang mababang kapulungan, obligadong umattend sila dahil napaka halaga ng kanilang ibabahagi sa ating pinag-uusapan,” Suarez emphasized.
“I am ever disappointed with the position of our invited guests for the fourth time, not attending our hearing. And I do hope that when we issue the subpoena tomorrow, we can take our proper action,” he added.
Seven officials from her office were subpoenaed in the previous hearing for failing to attend.
The seven subpoenaed OVP officers are:
- Chief-of-Staff Zuleika Lopez
- Assistant Chief-of-Staff and Bids and Awards Chairperson Lemuel Ortinio
- Director for Administrative and Financial Services Rosalynne Sanchez
- Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta
- Chief Accountant Julieta Vailldelry
- Edward Fajarda
- former Department of Education Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda
The Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into the misuse of the OVP and DepEd funds during Vice President Sara Duterte’s term.
