Deputy Speaker and Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco during his office’s caravan of services in Liloan town, northern Cebu on February 11, 2025. / Photo from Duke Frasco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A week after signing the petition to impeach the Vice-President, Deputy Speaker and Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco has broken his silence.
Frasco defended his decision to join the 240 lawmakers who voted to oust Vice President Sara Duterte last Feb. 5.
Otherwise, projects and programs intended for Cebu’s 5th district are at risk, the congressman said in a speech during a caravan of services in his hometown in Liloan on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
“(Ni sign ko sa impeachment) tungod ninyo. Tungod sa atong mga programa, proyekto, kalambuan. Di nako marisgo atong mga programa, mga proyekto sa lungsod sa Liloan kung di ko mukuyog sa kadaghanan,” said Frasco.
This included scholarships for the district’s 16,000 students, financial assistance for persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, and solo parents, and budget for big-ticket infrastructure projects like the Camotes Airport.
Frasco further justified his vote by explaining that should he fail to join the majority, his office – and that of the entire 5th district – could potentially have ‘zero budget’.
“Ma zerohan ta sa kaayohan sa mga programa ug mga proyekto sa atong distrito,” he said.
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A video of his 15-minute speech was also uploaded on his official Facebook page.
The 5th district is composed of Liloan, Compostela, Danao City, Carmen, Catmon, Sogod, and the four towns of Camotes Islands namely San Francisco, Tudela, Poro, and Pilar.
Cebu has a total of 11 seats in the House of Representatives, and 9 members, including Frasco, signed the petition to impeach Duterte.
Those who did not sign were Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, Frasco’s uncle-in-law, and Cebu City 1st District Rep. Cutie Del Mar.
Like Frasco, those who voted in favor for the impeachment happened to be former political allies of the Vice-President.
On the rocks
However, on Tuesday, the congressman revealed that their political relationship with Duterte had long been on the rocks.
He accused Duterte for joining critics in bashing his wife, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, over the controversial ‘Love the Philippines’ campaign.
Additionally, he expressed disappointment over the Vice President’s apparent refusal to support Christina as well as their request to keep her supporters at bay who had been attacking them.
“Gihangyo gyud namo si VP Sara, didto gyud ko ani kuyog,” said Frasco.
But the turning point, according to the congressman, was when they learned that Duterte visited their district without notifying them.
At that time, the Vice President met their political opponents instead, Frasco added.
Like other members of the House who voted in favor of the impeachment, the Deputy Speaker pointed out that the serious accusations lodged at Duterte, like the controversial confidential funds, needed to be addressed in the proper forum.
“Ang Senado may mohukom kung naa bay sala o guilty ba sa mga alegasyon against sa atong VP Sara,” Frasco explained./clorenciana