VP Sara resignation sought

VICE-PRESIDENT Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio should resign from public office if she has no interest in defending the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed budget for next year before the House of Representatives, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.

“Our Vice President is consistent… in the sense that she didn’t attend the [House] committee on appropriations budget hearing, and she didn’t attend the plenary session either,” Party-list Rep. Raul Angelo D. Bongalon said in a press briefing.

“If that’s the case, it shows that she’s not interested in her duties as the Vice President of the Philippines. If she’s not interested…, we can ask the Vice President to step down,” he added.

The OVP did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

Ms. Carpio has snubbed the House’s deliberations on the OVP’s proposed P2.03- billion budget for next year, drawing the ire of congressmen. This led to a 64% cut to her budget, as lawmakers argued social development projects of the OVP were redundant with the Health and Social Welfare departments.

She also refused to meet Lanao del Sur Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong, who is the designated sponsor of the OVP budget during plenary debates.

In a letter dated Sept. 11 addressed to Mr. Adiong’s office, published online on Sept. 23, the OVP reiterated that it “leaves the deliberation of our budget proposal in the plenary entirely to the pleasure of the House of Representatives.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio