The non-stop backlash and negative publicity the House of Representatives received from defending to doing nothing on the P650-million confidential fund Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has been requesting has finally become too unbearable that the Appropriations Committe has to deny approving such. Instead, along with other confidential fund requests of other non-uniformed agencies, the more than P1-billion fund was realigned to defense agencies particularly those that are directly involved in protecting the interest of the country at the West Philippine Sea.

The denial of Duterte’s confidential fund requests is double sided in nature. Firstly, the House showed some sense of idealism and practicality. Secondly, it is rather a political statement which implications everybody must watch.

The House of Representatives has been notoriously known as a stamping pad and boot-licker of a sitting president. Them agreeing to deny Sara Dutette of the confidential fund she has been asking shows resolve that many expected them to have several times but failed to show. Duterte is an ally of President Bongbong Marcos. They are very close allies that they ran together last elections. Thus for the House to deny the request of Duterte is as synonymous as denying the president himself. Hence, the omenous political act by the House.

They would not have acted without the blessing of the president as it is as close to shaming him. The House surely acted with the clearance of Speaker Martin Romualdez who is said to be silently building his own backyard for a possible presidential bid. While it may sound presumptuous, blood is always thicker than water. Of course, other than such reading, a trade-off could have been agreed between Marcos and Duterte given the highly suspicious act of the House.

Meantime, the people have partially won against the interests of the younger Duterte. “Ang ayaw sa confidential fund ay ayaw ng kapayaan. Ang ayaw sa kapayaan ay kalaban ng estado,” the vice president once declared in fighting for her confidential funds. Nobody would have questioned her if she is the secretary of defense. But then, she’s not. Can’t it be said that those who fought and questioned her request for confidential funds are merely “ayaw sa magnanakaw?”