Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday broke her silence regarding the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) controversial confidential funds (CF) in 2022, and hit on several lawmakers who vocally chastised the CF.

In a two-page statement, Duterte wholeheartedly thanked President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and several Marcos administration officials who backed her office amidst the storm of attacks on the 2022 CF.

"Thank you to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin for a detailed presentation of facts about the 2022 OVP CF and elucidating that the request, approval, and spending of the fund violated no law, which is diametrically adverse to what critics have been repeatedly harping," she added.

Duterte then extended her gratitude to Defense Secretary Gilbert 'Gibo' Teodoro for "upholding the creation" of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VSPG).

She also thanked Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo for "bravely and rationally facing" ACT-Teachers Rep. France Castro and other Makabayan bloc lawmakers, who she regarded as "gang of individuals who had successfully mastered the art of fabricating lies."

The Vice President also hit Senator Risa Hontiveros, saying that "while she amuses the nation with her flair for drama, she "could only wish the 2022 OVP CF was accessed illegally."

"It’s a shame they still cannot produce any proof to support their dirty imagination," she added.

It can be called that during the budget hearing on the OVP's proposed 2024 budget, Opposition Senator Koko Pimentel interrogated Duterte on the alleged transfer of P125 million CF from the Office of the President (OP) to the OVP.

The Vice President affirmed that they requested the secret fund as early as August 2022 and only got approved in December 2022.

The CF transfer drew flak, with some former lawmakers flagging this as "unconstitutional" and experts calling this as an "impeachable offense."