Rep. Renee Co (Kabataan party-list) slammed the “troll behavior” of Vice President Sara Duterte during the hearing for the 2026 budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
Co was one of only two lawmakers who interpellated Duterte during the House appropriations committee’s budget deliberations on September 16.
The lawmaker had asked Duterte, who came alone without any staff, about funding for security personnel and staff who accompanied the vice president on her foreign trips this year.
“Can we ask po paano po pinopondohan ‘yung pagpunta — flight and accomodations — ng staff and security ng OVP” Renee said.
Instead of directly answering the query, Duterte asked if Renee was related to Rep. Zaldy Co (Ako Bicol party-list), who has been linked with contractors named by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who had the most number of flood control projects.
Zaldy is the co-founder of Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., a contractor that bagged billions-worth of government projects related to flood control. Such projects in the country are being investigated in Congress for alleged anomalies in the use of funds.
Duterte in the hearing asked permission if she could ask a question in response to Renee’s query.
“Depende sa nature, Madame Vice President,” Rep. Jose Alvarez (Palawan, Second District) said.
“Magpinsan po ba si Congressman Co ngayon tsaka si Zaldy Co?” Duterte asked with a straight face. “Gusto ko lang malaman.”
“Are they relatives?” she followed up after a moment of silence.
Renee was then asked by Alvarez to answer, to which the latter obliged.
“I have no familial relations po to Zaldy Co, or a representative of Zaldy Co, or any of their relatives po,” Renee said.
“Thank you, Madame Chair,” Duterte answered.
Kabataan hits ‘troll behavior’
The moment caught the attention of Renee’s party-list, which described the vice president’s behavior as that of a “troll.” For the group, Duterte was dodging legitimate questions.
“Eh, ikaw, kaano-ano mo si Mary Grace Piattos?” Renee was quoted as saying by Kabataan.
“Mary Grace Piattos” is among the signatories found in documents related to the OVP’s millions-worth confidential funds, which were submitted to the Commission on Audit.
It was later discovered that such a name does not exist in the Philippine Statistics Authority’s records.
“Three years na, hindi mo pa rin maipaliwanag kung saan napunta ang 125 million na confidential funds? Galawang pusit. Puro intriga. Um-attend nga ng hearing, troll behavior naman,” Renee said in response to Duterte’s attitude to her during the hearing.
“Tularan niya ang tatay niya, travel na lang siya abroad at huwag na bumalik. ‘Di natin deserve ang VP na walang ginawa kundi magpasimuno ng fake news. Dapat ilipat ang pondo ng OVP sa mga SUCs [state universities and colleges] at iba pang serbisyo kaysa magamit pa to sa unli-revenge travel ni Sara Duterte,” Renee added.
“She is the second highest official of the land. Nakakahinayang na ‘di man lang nakapagtanong ang mga kapwa-mambabatas para hingan siya ng paliwanag sa napakaraming issue. Tinerminate pa agad ang hearing. Natatakot ba tayo magtanong?” the lawmaker said.
Co continued that “corrupt” people will never say truthful things and explain themselves to the public.
Sara’s explanation: At the hearing, Duterte explained that the Armed Forces of the Philippines recommends three to four security personnel for her trips, but her office only approves two.
She said she brings three OVP staff members — for ceremonial affairs, media relations, and as her assistant — only when the trips involve official OVP activities.
ALSO READ: House holds back scrutiny as Sara Duterte gets swift budget approval
The House committee had endorsed the OVP’s proposed P902.8-million budget for 2026 to the plenary in less than an hour.
The proposed budget is at least 21% higher than the P744 million allocation the OVP had received in 2025. — with reports from Philstar.com/Cristina Chi
