HOUSE Committee on Public Accounts Chair Terry Ridon on Friday said the latest Tangere poll sends a clear message to Vice President Sara Duterte: answer the allegations in a formal forum, not from the sidelines.
The survey, reported Thursday, showed 88 percent of respondents believe Duterte should address the accusations against her in a Senate impeachment trial—viewed not as punishment but as the proper venue to defend herself.
“For me, that 88 percent is simple. The public wants answers, not noise,” Ridon said. “Kung mali ang paratang, humarap ka at sagutin mo sa tamang forum.”
Ridon said the result mirrors what has surfaced in House hearings: records that raise clear, understandable questions on declared wealth and large-scale money movements.
He cited key findings from official records, including Duterte’s SALNs reflecting no declared cash or bank deposits from 2019 to 2024, alongside the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report citing ₱6.77 billion in covered and suspicious transactions linked to her and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio.
“These are not minor issues. These go to declared wealth, money flows, and official records,” he said. “Hindi kataka-taka na halos siyam sa bawat sampung Pilipino ay naghahanap ng malinaw na sagot.”
Ridon emphasized that the issue is not merely the existence of transactions but the scale and source of the funds involved.
“Hindi lang ito simpleng galaw ng pera. Kapag may bilyon-bilyong transaksyon, kailangang malinaw kung saan nanggaling at paano ito na-generate,” he said.
He noted that even if it is argued that the funds merely passed through accounts, the core question remains unresolved.
“Kahit sabihin nating umikot lang ang pera, hindi nawawala ang tanong—saan nanggaling ang bilyong pumasok? ” Ridon said.
Ridon said the public is not asking for technical explanations but for clarity on apparent gaps between declared wealth and actual financial activity.
“Hindi komplikado ang usapin: may malalaking transaksyon, at may kailangang ipaliwanag sa records,” he said.
He noted the House is nearing the end of its process, with the Committee on Justice set to hold its next—and expected final—clarificatory hearing on April 29.
“We hope to see the vice president there,” Ridon said. “Doon pinapakita ang tapang—sa harap ng ebidensiya, hindi sa labas.”
For Ridon, the survey is not about spectacle but accountability.
“Kapag 88 percent na ang nagsasabing sumagot sa formal proceeding, hindi na puwedeng iwasan,” he said. “Tama na ang daldal. Magpakita kayo.”
He said the public now expects direct answers grounded in the records.
“Harapin ang ebidensiya. Sagutin ang tanong. Linawin ang rekord,” Ridon said. “Iyan ang hinihingi ng tao.”
“At kung hindi maipaliwanag ang ganitong kalaking agwat sa pagitan ng kita, idineklara na yaman, at aktwal na galaw ng pera, hindi na ito simpleng isyu ng accounting—ito ay malinaw na usapin ng pananagutan na pasok sa betrayal of public trust.”
