Responding to suggestions from congressmen to give up her position, Vice President Sara Duterte declared that she will only do this if the 32 million Filipinos who voted for her want it.

This developed as Duterte informed the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability that she has not intention of attending its investigation into her office’s use of its previous year's appropriations.

In a press conference, Duterte said she chose to ignore the calls of lawmakers, especially from the group calling themselves “Young Guns.”

She stressed that she is responsible to the 32 million voters who catapulted her to the second highest position in government and not to “one or two people.”

“I will not leave this office because the people put me here believing I will work for the country,” the daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte stressed.

Earlier, Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Jill Bongalon suggested that Duterte must consider giving up her post if she is no longer interested in carrying out her duties as vice president.

Bongalon is a partymate of Rep. Zaldy Co who had previously been accused by Duterte of controlling the national budget.

Also calling for Duterte;s resignation were Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel.

The criticisms stemmed from the vice president’s continued refusal to face lawmakers in the budget deliberations for the OVP’s proposed 2025 allocation.

Meanwhile, Duterte says she also has no intention of attending the inquiry into the OVP expenditures which had been flagged by the Commission on
Audit.

The vice president had previously aired suspicions that the Lower House moves are part of bid to discredit her before the 2028 presidential election when she is expected to be pitted for the presidency against Speaker Martin Romualdez.