Assailed for refusing to appear before an appropriations panel of the House of Representatives, Vice President Sara Duterte surprised congressmen when she appeared before another House committee but rejected the call for her to take an oath to tell “nothing but the truth” in the proceedings on Wednesday (September

Duterte lashed at congressmen for allegedly plotting to impeach her in a bid to derail her perceived plans to seek the presidency in 2028. She had previously insisted that Speaker Martin Romualdez is eyeing the position.

“I will not allow myself to be subjected to an inquiry based on an empty privilege speech just so you can attack me and do indirectly what you failed to do directly during the budget hearings,” stated the vice president in her opening remarks.

She did not stay long and avoided grilling from members of the House Committee on Good Government permission to leave the proceedings.

The House panel conducted its initial deliberations on the privilege speech delivered by Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano who questioned the government funds allocated to the OVP’s socio-economic programs.

Valeriano chided Duterte’s refusal to justify the state funds the OVP received in the past years that she was head of the office.

Chaired by another Manila lawmaker, Rep. Joel Chua, the House panel directed Duterte to take an oath to tell the truth to the committee but she refused.

“Witnesses lang po ang ino-oath. Sabi ninyo sa amin ngayon, resourcer persons kami,” she explained.

When Chua insisted that like witnesses, resource persons are also required to take an oath, former president and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, rose to argue that it is wrong for the committee to underplay the difference between the two statuses.

Arroyo pointed out that even the Supreme Court viewed the two to be different.

“Somebody who appears to be the accused has a different tier of protection from a witness, and in fact, can refuse to take the witnesses stand,” the former chief executive stated.

Reacting to Duterte’s refusal to take an oath, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro said it was better for the vice president not to participate at all in the proceedings.

“Ang kanyang pagtanggi na manumpa na magsasabi ng totoo ay indikasyon na aatakehin lang nya ang Kongreso at magsisinungaling lang sa pagdinig,” she added