• last month
House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairman Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua flat out rejected Vice President Sara Duterte attempt to join in the discussions on how the confidential funds probe should be carried out.

This, as the good government panel held its seventh hearing Monday, Nov. 25 the alleged misuse of P612.5-million worth of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) by offices under Vice President Duterte's leadership, specifically the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) .

READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/11/26/chua-coldly-rejects-vp-duterte-s-attempt-to-speak-in-confidential-funds-hearing
Transcript
00:00I know that our rules procedure in aid of legislation includes the use of the rules
00:12of court.
00:13Under the rules of court, Your Honor, which are the rules being used in the courts of
00:19law, hypothetical questions are not allowed to be asked.
00:26Are we supposed to insist on asking hypothetical questions?
00:35Could you please be specific, Congressman Margolieta?
00:38It's very specific, Mr. Chair.
00:42The witness is being asked hypothetical questions.
00:51These are disallowed in the courts of law.
00:57If you're using the rules of court supplementarily, what is the purpose of asking hypothetical
01:05questions?
01:07Under our internal rules, the rules of procedure governing the proceedings before the Committee
01:13on Good Government under Section 16, it provides that rules of procedure and evidence in any
01:19meeting of the Committee, the rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity, shall
01:25not be controlling.
01:27And the Committee shall use every and all reasonable means to ascertain the facts in
01:32each case speedily and objectively without regard to technicality of law or procedure.
01:38Yes, Mr. Chair, we're talking of facts, we're not talking about hypothetical situations
01:47here.
01:48We're not supposed to be getting facts out of speculations.
01:52We cannot speculate on the questions that should be asked and answered.
01:57This will not benefit the Committee, Mr. Chair.
01:59Thank you very much.
02:01Noted.
02:02Congressman Margolieta.
02:03Mr. Chair.
02:04Please continue with the...
02:05Mr. Chair.
02:06Congressman Margolieta.
02:07I'll just add a response, Mr. Chair, since it's always being invoked on how the Committee
02:14should conduct, what the bounds of our discussions are.
02:17Mr. Chair, again, what we're doing is in aid of legislation, and we can't make laws,
02:24we can't study what can be laws if we don't discuss the possible scenarios, even if it
02:31hasn't happened yet, Mr. Chair.
02:32We can't have good laws if we don't discuss how it can be implemented, how it can be abused,
02:38which means the line of questioning of our colleagues are essential to the conduct of
02:43our proceedings in the Committee.
02:45That's all, Mr. Chair.
02:47Mr. Chair, this is the problem of non-lawyers.
02:48They insist on something that should not be done.
02:52Noted.
02:53Congressman Margolieta.
02:54Mr. Chair.
02:55Mr. Chair.
02:56Yes, Madam Vice President.
02:57Can I answer as head of agency of the Office of the Vice President?
03:04Can I answer as head of agency of the Office of the Vice President as well?
03:08With respect to the...
03:10To the comment, manifestation of Congressman Margolieta, sir.
03:15No, you are not allowed.
03:17Please continue, Congressman Luis.

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