MANILA, Philippines – Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua, one of Vice President Sara Duterte’s staunchest critics in Congress, bags his biggest assignment yet, as he now heads a House committee tasked to investigate misuse of public funds.
The House majority designated him as chairperson of the good government and public accountability committee, the lower chamber’s counterpart to the Senate blue ribbon committee.
He replaces San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan Representative Rida Robes, who is now tasked to lead the housing and urban development committee, after former chairperson Negros Occidental 3rd District Representative Kiko Benitez’s exit from the House to serve as Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general.
Chua was among the first lawmakers outside the Makabayan bloc to openly criticize the Vice President, calling for her resignation from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet as early as April.
After Duterte refused to answer questions on her past confidential expenses during the House deliberations on the proposed 2025 budget of the Office of the Vice President, Chua went on to call her an “entitled brat” to the press.
Also designated on Tuesday as vice chairpersons of the good government panel are the following:
- Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel
- Antipolo City 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop
- ACT-CIS Representative Edvic Yap
- Sagip Representative Rodante Marcoleta
- Cavite 7th District Representative Ping Remulla
- Zamboanga del Norte 1st District Representative Roberto Uy Jr.
The shakeup in the committee comes just a day after at least two lawmakers, Ako Bicol Representative Jil Bongalon and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville “Jinky” Luistro, called for an investigation into alleged procurement irregularities in the Department of Education (DepEd) when Vice President Duterte was still its chief.
Bongalon had alleged that the agency rigged the bid for laptops and other ICT materials under the DepEd Computerization Program, supposedly costing the department P1.6 billion in savings. – Rappler.com