House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union on Monday stressed that the Quad Comm should anticipate former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s submission of a bank waiver, given that he made a statement under oath regarding the matter.
“Duon sa waiver, nakita niyo naman po, paiba-iba po ‘yung sagot tungkol sa waiver,” Ortega, a member of the Young Guns of the House of Representatives, pointed out during the daily press briefing at the House.
“Nagbitaw siya (Duterte) under oath so inaabangan lahat ‘yan,” he added, underscoring the expectation for the former president to follow through with his commitment.
Ortega highlighted the inconsistencies in Duterte’s responses about the waiver, which initially included a commitment to execute one but later required consultations with his spouse.
“Nung una, mag-execute ng waiver. Nung mayroon na tayong ginawang waiver sa Quad, magpapaalam sa asawa,” Ortega noted.
He also said that the waiver specifically referenced joint accounts, not with the spouse, but with Vice President Sara Duterte.
The congressman observed that Duterte’s statements appeared to shift depending on the context.
“Iba-iba po ‘yung sagot don sa 2nd floor, iba sagot sa hagdanan, pagdating po sa ground floor iba na naman po yung sagot,” he explained.
Despite these inconsistencies, Ortega stressed that the committee closely monitors Duterte’s actions, mainly because the statements were made under oath.
He assured the public that the Quad Comm is diligently preparing for the next hearing, including discussions among committee members to ensure a well-structured proceeding.
“Sa Quad po, inaayos pa para sa next hearing mag-uusap usap po muna siguro yung members ng Quad para po ilatag ng maayos yung next na hearing,” he shared.
The Quad Comm’s next steps are particularly significant given the questions raised about former President Duterte’s transparency and accountability.