Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday traded barbs with Senator Risa Hontiveros over a P10-million budget allocation for the production and distribution of “Isang Kaibigan”—a children’s book authored by Duterte.
The argument ensued during the ongoing deliberation of the P2.037-billion budget of the Office of the Vice President budget for 2025.
“Her problem is that my name is on the book, which will be given to children. And those children have parents who are voters. And my name will be spread throughout wherever those books will go,” Duterte said, insisting the senator’s concerns were politically motivated.
Hontiveros, however, maintained her inquiry was legitimate and purely in line with her duties as a legislator.
“I don’t understand the attitude of our resource person. It is a simple question. She repeatedly says this is politicizing. The VP mentioned the word vote. I never said anything about voting. I’m simply asking. I can’t imagine we’re making so much trouble, so much fuss about a P10 million item,” the senator said.
“Simple question: Tell us more about the book. How many copies will the government buy at a value of P10 million and distribute with bags to 1 million learners in remote communities? For the record, this is public funds. And we’re making inquiries. This is a budget hearing. This is not about you (Duterte).”
“We all know as members of different parties, our speeches to our party members during party congresses are a separate event from the budget debates. So I really take exception to what the VP said that this is an example of politicizing,” Hontiveros added.
The Vice President, in turn, criticized the senator, noting that Hontiveros sought support from Duterte’s allies in Davao during her past senatorial campaign — only to become one of the earliest critics of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, once elected.
The heated exchange prompted Senator Grace Poe, who chairs the committee, to step in and refocus the discussion: “I understand there’s history. But I think we should really stick to the budget.”
The P2.037-billion proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President was already “deemed submitted to plenary” after being approved in Senate panel deliberations yesterday.
As this developed, Duterte said some members of the House of Representatives are planning to file an impeachment complaint against her.
“They are talking about it even if they deny it. This is being discussed by members of the House of Representatives. We still have friends there who just don’t talk because they are afraid, but they say the impeachment is openly discussed,” she said.
She said certain lawmakers seek “to project the (Duterte) family as corrupt, as criminals, as useless people who only do things for themselves.”
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “VP Duterte, Hontiveros in heated exchange over ‘politicizing budget'”
