MANILA, Philippines — Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro reiterated that her panel was the "proper forum" for Vice President Sara Duterte to answer the allegations against her as she did not show up in her impeachment hearing on Wednesday.
In her opening statement, the chairman of the House justice committee railed against Duterte's statement that criticized the examination on her academic records as revealed by Ramil Madriaga instead of discussing her confidential funds and transactions.
"I completed my studies on my own terms. I placed a higher premium on living a well-rounded life rather than pursuing academic excellence. I never asked any professor for special accommodation for my grades because the bare minimum was easy enough to meet. I was never the subject of any complaint for rudeness or violence against other students at SSC-R College of Law," Duterte said. SSC-R is San Sebastian College-Recoletos.
However, Luistro said that among the hundreds of pieces of evidence presented during the hearings, only one was targeted.
"Sa totoo lang, na-ghost na nga tayo, tila gina-gaslight pa tayo. Ang mas mahalagang tanong ay kung nasaan ang pera, ngunit ang sagot sa atin ay tungkol sa grado sa kolehiyo (In fact, we are being ghosted and gaslighted. The most important question is where is the money, but the answer that we received is about college grades). And the worst part? This explanation is not being made here, but everywhere else," Luistro said.
She reiterated that her committee would evaluate everything, from Madriaga's testimony, documents from the Commission on Audit, National Bureau of Investigation findings, and certifications from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
"Lahat ng ito ay kailangang iharap dito, suriin dito, at timbangin dito. Pero dapat dito. Humarap ang kailangang humarap, manumpa at magpaliwanag. Dito sa Komiteng ito. (Everything that needs to be faced should be scrutinized and investigated, and those persons who should face questions should take their oath and explain before the committee) Because this is the proper forum," Luistro said.
"If there is anything to clarify, the best—and the only—place to do that is here, before this Committee, under oath, and on record," she added.
The committee has resumed the impeachment hearings of Duterte to focus on heralleged unexplained wealth, which is covered in one of the articles of impeachment against her.
