Former DepEd Undersecretary and spokesperson for Vice President Sara Duterte Michael Poa said it was a mutual decision between him and Vice President Duterte to step down from his position.
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00:00The next interpolator is Congresswoman Luistro.
00:05Mr. Chair.
00:07Yes, Congressman Pongon.
00:10Mr. Chair, just a quick question, Mr. Chair, to Atty. Poa.
00:14We just want to clarify.
00:16Atty. Poa, the term you used earlier is you were pre-terminated, is that correct?
00:22Yes, Mr. Chair.
00:24We just want to know if you were the one who resigned or removed from the OVP?
00:29We had a discussion prior to the previous hearing.
00:35It was really a mutual decision, Your Honor.
00:38What do you mean mutual? Were you removed or resigned?
00:42We decided mutually because I expressed that I cannot fulfill the obligations of the contract as a spokesperson.
00:53Because to be honest with you, since I'm also a resource person here,
00:58I found it very difficult for me to go on media and be interviewed on the same matter
01:05because the objectivity is lost because I'm also part of the hearing as a resource person.
01:12So I said that I don't think I am capable of really fulfilling the contract.
01:19But I was understood, so we mutually decided to pre-terminate it
01:24because my contract is due until December of this year.
01:29So we just pre-terminated the contract.
01:32Who did you say goodbye to?
01:34To our Vice President.
01:36Did this decision become mutual?
01:39I would like to think so, Your Honor, to be honest.
01:42Because I am very forthright.
01:44I said the difficulties that I'm encountering.
01:48Medically, I'm affected.
01:50But also beyond that, it's really I cannot fulfill my job.
01:56I cannot be interviewed.
01:58Not because I don't want to, but I think it would be inappropriate.
02:01For example, if I'm asked about the proceedings, I would rather answer questions here rather than in the media.
02:08Especially if it's a comment by a member of the committee,
02:11I think it would be inappropriate for me to comment through the media.
02:14So to be honest, I also had a hard time.
02:17And I expressed that difficulty to the Principal.
02:22I'd like to think that she really understood.
02:25That's why we agreed to pre-terminate.
02:28So I sent in my notice to pre-terminate the contract.
02:32And there were no problems.
02:35Why are you having a hard time?
02:36Are you having a hard time because you're having a hard time defending him?
02:40Or is there something that you were ordered to do?
02:43It's not like that, Mr. Chair.
02:44Sorry.
02:45It's not like that.
02:46It's really, I'll try to explain.
02:51For example, there was an interview regarding the proceedings here.
02:56In my personal view, if a member of the congressman commented about the proceedings here,
03:06or if I'm asked about the issues that we're discussing here,
03:10I don't think, out of due respect to the members of this committee,
03:15I don't think it would be proper for me to answer through the media.
03:19And we'll face each other here.
03:21And I'll just repeat what I said.
03:25I would rather answer the questions here as a resource person.
03:29And I don't know if it's something that the committee would appreciate where I'm coming from.
03:35But to be honest, I had a hard time getting an interview.
03:38That's why, if you'll notice, I didn't get an interview since this committee started.
03:46I didn't go out for any interview.
03:49That was my difficulty, personally.
03:53One more question, Mr. Chair.
03:55Were there any orders from you that you're having a hard time defending him and that's why you resigned?
04:00None, Your Honor.
04:02I would like to be clear about that also.
04:04There were no orders from me.
04:05In fact, even in the interviews, I was given free rein to whether accept or not an interview.
04:11But lately, personally, I don't know.
04:17It's me.
04:19I think it would be inappropriate to answer things through the media rather than through a committee.
04:23And then maybe after the investigation, if there are questions,
04:26then we can all discuss what happened during the committee hearing.
04:29But if you know, sometimes the media will ask us what happened.
04:35If, for example, we haven't discussed it with the committee,
04:39I don't want the committee to be the first to do so.
04:42Thank you, Mr. Chair.