House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega stated during a press conference on Thursday that the dinner at Malacañang was in no way connected to the filing of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Despite speculation suggesting that the Office of the President was involved in the complaints, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has denied any such involvement and strongly advised against pursuing impeachment.
Ortega clarified that the dinner was not about the impeachment complaint but rather about fostering camaraderie and showing support for the President’s administration.
“Wala pong kahit anumang katotohanan ang mga lumabas o na-speculate o iniisip ng ibang tao. [‘Yun po ay] sobrang simple na salo-salo lang at ang highlight ay nung prinesinta ang resolution of support ng House,” Ortega said.
“Karamihan nga po ng nabasa ko sa Twitter (now X), kabaliktaran po ng totoong nangyari,” he added.
Ortega explained that the dinner had been in the works for two years, but scheduling conflicts among the attendees had delayed it.
“Noong kakaupo po ng ating Pangulo, noong first six months niya actually, he met with the Solid North congressmen. Last year, ang alam ko, we tried to schedule a meeting with the President na parang salo-salo, not necessarily a Christmas dinner lang, pero hindi po natuloy. Siyempre napaka-hectic ng schedule,” Ortega said.
He also addressed recent threats made against the President, which had led to stricter security protocols and increased scrutiny of the Vice President’s actions.
Ortega emphasized that the dinner had no political motives related to removing the Vice President from her post, despite her recent threats against the President, the First Lady, and the House Speaker.
“Hindi nga po napag-usapan ‘yung pulitika. More on ang nasabi ng ating Pangulo, kung ano ang mga trabaho na ginagawa ng legislative at ng executive, magtrabaho lang tayo,” he said.
