STRESSING that the public deserves clear answers—not evasion—Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union on Monday pressed Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to face the House Committee on Justice hearings and drop efforts to block the proceedings before the Supreme Court (SC) saying the truth must be tested in the open—not sidestepped through technicalities.
Ortega, who supports the fourth impeachment complaint, said the public needs clear answers backed by evidence and warned against what he sees as a trend of avoiding the issue and trying to stop the process with temporary restraining orders (TROs).
“The public deserves answers based on evidence, not avoidance. Kung may depensa, ilahad. Kung may tanong sa testigo, itanong sa hearing. Hindi po pwedeng i-dismiss sa labas ang mga testigo pero iiwasan ang pagkakataong harapin sila sa loob ng proseso,” Ortega said.
Ortega stressed that the House proceedings are the proper forum for the vice president to present her side and directly address the allegations.
The La Union House leader also pointed to what he described as a clear contradiction in Duterte’s stance, noting that her camp had previously pushed for a House hearing as part of due process.
“Ano ba talaga ate? Sabi nyo gusto nyo ng hearing muna sa House bago ang Senate impeachment court para marinig ang side nyo, ngayon namang may hearing pinipigilan nyo pa rin. Kung talagang mahina ang ebidensiya, humarap at sumagot kayo, hindi puwedeng nagtatago sa teknikalidad para lamang patulong na umiwas. Bistado na ang style na ito at nahahalata na ng mga tao,” Ortega said.
Ortega emphasized that “impeachment proceedings are meant to establish the truth through evidence and sworn testimony—not through public statements made in media briefings outside the process.”
With hearings set to proceed, he stressed that “the opportunity to respond remains open, underscoring that accountability is best served when issues are addressed within the forum mandated by the Constitution and House rules.”
