June 30, 2024 — In a scathing critique, ACT Teachers Partylist Representative France Castro slammed Vice President Sara Duterte over her recent declaration of not requesting confidential funds for the 2025 budget, labeling it as a hollow gesture aimed at deflecting accountability.
Castro, known for her advocacy on government transparency, criticized Duterte for boasting about forgoing confidential funds, which are not mandated for her office in the first place. "Why should she boast about not requesting funds that her office is not supposed to have? This is merely a distraction from the unresolved issues surrounding her past use of such funds," Castro pointed out.
The legislator raised concerns over Duterte's alleged mishandling of P125 million in confidential funds in 2022, which reportedly were spent within a mere 11 days without proper accountability. "She has yet to satisfactorily explain the utilization of these funds in 2022 and subsequent years," Castro emphasized, underscoring the need for transparency in government expenditures.
Castro warned that Duterte's recent announcement does not absolve her of responsibility for past actions. "Declaring she won't request confidential funds for next year doesn't erase her obligation to account for the misuse of public funds in the past," Castro asserted firmly.
The Deputy Minority Leader called for a comprehensive investigation into the use of confidential funds not only within the Office of the Vice President but across other civilian agencies as well. "Transparency and accountability must prevail in government spending," Castro concluded, urging thorough scrutiny to uphold integrity in public service.
Duterte's office has yet to respond to these latest criticisms from Castro and other lawmakers advocating for fiscal responsibility and transparency in government operations.