During a press briefing on Nov. 20, 2024, Vice President Sara Duterte expressed concern over the toll of political attacks on her team, emphasizing how her staff’s careers and reputations have suffered. “My colleagues in the OVP, as you can see, are truly suffering. Because of the persecution against me, because of the relentless pursuit to discredit me, their work has been affected, and their reputations have been dragged into this,” VP Duterte said.
Sara Duterte highlighted the value of reputation, saying, “A person’s greatest treasures are their character and their name. These are not things that can easily be replaced.”
These remarks followed House hearings probing alleged misuse of confidential funds by the OVP and the Department of Education under Duterte’s leadership. She has consistently and firmly denied any wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez urged Duterte to testify under oath to clarify the confidential fund’s alleged misuse. “She should come forward and explain to the public what happened to those confidential funds. That’s why she should talk and not her officials in the OVPs. She’s the one who should talk,” Romualdez said, challenging Duterte to provide transparency.
