MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday broke her silence on renewed criticisms surrounding her use of confidential funds and the impeachment case filed against her—only to declare that she will not dignify what she believes to be politically orchestrated attacks led by House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Duterte’s remarks came after Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre called out the Vice President for her unwavering confidence that her legal team would overcome the impeachment challenge filed in the House of Representatives.
“What’s puzzling is the arrogance of certainty,” Acidre said, citing Duterte’s failure to explain how her office spent millions in confidential funds in just 11 days.
He added that Duterte could not claim vindication without offering a full and truthful accounting of public funds.
In response, the Vice President dismissed the comments, saying she intentionally chose not to explain herself to members of Congress, especially those allied with Romualdez.
“It’s not that I can’t explain. I just won’t—especially not to House members,” Duterte said in Filipino.
“Jude Acidre wants me to respond, but he belongs to Tingog, a party-list linked to Martin Romualdez. So why should I answer to them?”
Duterte went a step further by urging Filipinos not to vote for the Tingog party-list in the upcoming May 12 midterm elections, calling it a proxy for the House Speaker.
“Don’t vote for Tingog. A vote for them is a vote for Romualdez,” she declared.
The Vice President’s statements come after the House of Representatives impeached her on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers signing the complaint. Duterte faces allegations of betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, high crimes, and violations of the Constitution.
In response, Duterte filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition before the Supreme Court, seeking a temporary restraining order against the impeachment. She argued that the House violated its own rules and committed grave abuse of discretion by allowing a fourth complaint despite a constitutional one-year ban following inaction on the first three.
As the legal battle unfolds, Duterte’s remarks mark a clear escalation in tensions between her office and the lower chamber, particularly allies of Speaker Romualdez, a key figure in the administration bloc.