Vice President Sara Duterte addresses the media, November 26, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday said that she welcomed the impeachment complaints against her, saying these would at least spare her staff from being attacked.

At least two impeachment complaints have been filed against Duterte at the House of Representatives, but both have yet to muster the required number of endorsements from House members for it to be tackled in plenary.

“I welcome that. Finally, na-file na yung impeachment case na sinasabi nilang i-file nila since last year pa,” Duterte said.

“At least kung mayroon tayong impeachment case, masagot na ang final kung ano yung mga ina-accuse nila sa akin,” she said.

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Duterte has been accused of misusing the confidential funds of both the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) after lawmakers noted that the names on some receipts were for recipients who had no birth records with the Philippine Statistics Authority.

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“So okay din yung impeachment case dahil ako lang ang tinitira, ako lang ang iniimbestigahan noon, ako lang ang inaatake ng impeachment case,” Duterte said.

“Hindi na kasali yung mga kasamahan ko sa Office of the Vice President at yung mga dati kong pasama sa Department of Education,” she said.

At least two of Duterte’s aides — chief of staff Zuleika Lopez and special disbursing officer Gina Acosta — were excused from congressional investigations after they were hospitalized for various issues.

LOPEZ 'SUFFERING FROM PTSD'

Lopez — who refused to answer several questions during congressional investigations — has filed an indefinite leave from the Office of the Vice President as she is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Duterte said.

“Sinabi ng doctor na meron ata siyang PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder so hanggang ngayon hindi siya makakabalik ng trabaho,” the Vice President said.

“Every week sila noon nag-express sa atin bakit ganito yung buhay namin, bakit ganito yung ginagawa sa amin, bakit ganito yung pakiramdam namin para kaming mga fugitives, para kaming mga convicts so it (leave) will be somewhat peace of mind,” she said.

Acosta is temporarily living in a friend’s house, Duterte said.

“Ayaw niyang umuwi sa kanyang ni inuupahan na condominium unit kasi meron din siya pang takot na baka bigla siyang hablutin ng mga kilain sa gabi, mga ganun na mga fears,” she said.

“But nakita niya kami sa office and sabi niya kung pwede daw dahan-dahan siyang bumalik kasi gusto niya daw makita ng mga kasamahan niya sa Office of the Vice President na okay lang siya,” she said.

Duterte apologized to her supporters who may have been inconvenienced with the recent controversies surrounding her and her office.

“Marami akong nakakasalumha and nakikita sa daan na nagsasabi sa akin na nasi-stress kami sa ginagawa sa iyong, humingi ako ng pasensya sa kanila,” she said.

“Hindi ko rin gusto na umabot ng ganito pero meron talagang panahon sa buhay ng isang politiko na meron mga pinagdadaanan.”

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