HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V on Friday criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for defying a subpoena issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“By refusing to comply with the subpoena, she is sending a message: ‘The law doesn’t apply to me.’ That is not leadership. That is arrogance,” he said.
“Her refusal is an insult to every ordinary Filipino who follows the law. If an ordinary citizen ignored a subpoena, he would face consequences immediately,” Ortega said.
“Why should the Vice President be any different?” Ortega asked.
The NBI wants Vice President Duterte to explain her assassination threats against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
The Vice President earlier said she might not be able to appear before the NBI because she intended to attend the inquiry of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability originally set for Friday.
But the committee chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua decided last Thursday to postpone its hearing so VP Duterte would not have an “excuse” not to comply with the NBI subpoena.
The Chua panel is looking into her alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds received by the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education in 2022 and 2023 when she was education secretary.
“The Vice President’s decision to ignore the NBI is not just disrespectful; it is a direct challenge to our justice system. If the second-highest official can get away with this, what’s stopping others from doing the same? This sets a terrible example for our country,” Ortega said.
He said such defiance “deepens the divide between public officials and ordinary Filipinos.”
“The law is supposed to protect everyone equally. But how can people trust the system when leaders like the Vice President treat it as a joke? It’s as if there’s one set of rules for the powerful and another for the rest of us,” he said.
The House leader called on the NBI “to act firmly and without fear.”
“The NBI cannot allow this defiance to go unpunished. The Filipino people are watching. If we let this pass, we’re telling every citizen that justice depends on who you are, not on what you’ve done. That’s not the Philippines we want to build,” he said.
Ortega also urged the Vice President Duterte to reflect on her responsibility as a public servant.
“Leadership means accountability. It means showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable. VP Duterte needs to stop acting like she’s above the law and start respecting the very institutions she’s supposed to uphold. That’s the least the Filipino people deserve,” he said.
“If she continues to defy the law, she’s not just undermining the NBI; she’s undermining the entire justice system. We cannot allow anyone, no matter how powerful, to act as if the law is optional. The rule of law must prevail, or we risk losing it altogether,” he said.
