EDITORIAL: Demand Accountability

As the impeachment controversy surrounding Vice President Sara Duterte deepens, the public is once again confronted with a familiar political strategy: dismiss criticism as “fake news,” attack the accusers, and divert attention from the substance of the allegations.

The latest episode — the denial by lawyer-spokesman Michael Poa of rumors that the vice president allegedly threw a laptop at him in frustration — may seem trivial beside the serious accusations now confronting the country’s second highest official.

Whether the story is true or not is ultimately secondary. What matters more is how public discourse is being overwhelmed by noise, spectacle, and social media theatrics while grave questions about accountability remain unanswered.

Ironically, Duterte herself urged Filipinos to “discern” manipulated information online. That is a valid and necessary reminder. In today’s digital environment, lies spread rapidly and political propaganda flourishes.

But discernment must apply not only to rumors against politicians — it must also extend to the explanations politicians themselves offer when confronted with evidence.

The issue now is no longer about personality or temperament. It is about public trust.

Questions raised during impeachment hearings are not ordinary partisan attacks. They involve matters of official disclosures, confidential funds, bank transactions, and alleged threats against top government officials. These are serious concerns that deserve direct, credible, and transparent answers.

The controversy over Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) illustrates this clearly. Critics point out that for several years, cash assets allegedly were not separately declared as required under Republic Act No. 6713.

Former officials and finance professionals have argued that the explanation — that cash was merely included under “other assets” — contradicts both accounting practice and the law itself.

This is not a mere clerical matter. The SALN is a constitutional safeguard designed to ensure honesty and transparency in public office. Ordinary teachers, soldiers, police officers, and rank-and-file employees are expected to comply meticulously with it. Public officials occupying the highest positions should be held to no lower standard.

Equally troubling are the questions surrounding billions of pesos in reported bank transactions flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council. Duterte’s camp insists the figures are misleading because they merely total deposits and withdrawals over many years.

Yet the public deserves more than blanket dismissals. The issue is not only the arithmetic but whether the transactions are consistent with lawful income and properly documented sources.

In a democracy, public office demands public explanation.

The same principle applies to the controversy involving confidential funds. The rapid liquidation of hundreds of millions of pesos, the testimonies of individuals allegedly involved in disbursement, and contradictory statements presented during hearings all require clarification grounded in facts, not indignation.

What weakens institutions is not criticism. What weakens institutions is the refusal to answer legitimate questions with clarity and evidence.

Unfortunately, political loyalty often clouds public judgment. Supporters see every allegation as persecution; critics see every denial as proof of guilt. The nation becomes trapped between blind defense and blind condemnation.

The impeachment process should not be reduced to entertainment, online warfare, or personality politics. It is a constitutional mechanism meant to determine accountability based on evidence and law. If the allegations are baseless, then facts should clear the vice president.

But if evidence points to misconduct, then no amount of rhetoric, diversion, or accusations of conspiracy can erase the obligation to answer before the Filipino people.

Public officials ask citizens to trust them with power, taxes, and national leadership. In return, the public has every right to demand honesty, transparency, and accountability.

That is not political persecution.

That is democracy.