Castro not suspended from the House of Representatives

The misleading video circulated after House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro claimed that the release of confidential funds to the Vice President’s office in 2022 was “illegal” and “unconstitutional.”

Claim: Deputy Minority Leader in the House of Representatives and ACT Teacher Representative France Castro was suspended from her post in the House of Commons.

Rating: FALSE

Why we checked this: The video making this claim has received 3,493 views, 153 likes and 19 comments at the time of writing. It was uploaded on June 4 by a YouTube account notorious for spreading misinformation.

The text in the thumbnail reads: “Stay tuned. Suspended na. Karma, Castro. Expelled from Congress.“(Removed from Congress. Suspended. Castro got her just punishment. Suspended from Congress.)

It also features photos of Castro, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The facts: The House of Representatives website shows that Castro is still one of its members.

The video also contained no evidence that Castro was no longer in office, and there are no official sources to confirm this claim.

On Wednesday, June 5, Castro even gave a eulogy about extrajudicial killings under the former Duterte administration.

Article VI, Section 16 of the Constitution explains the procedure for expelling a sitting representative: “Each House may establish its rules of procedure, punish its Representatives for improper conduct, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its Representatives, suspend or expel any Member. The term of any suspension shall not exceed sixty days.”

ALSO ON RAPPLER

Castro versus Duterte: The misleading video circulated after Castro recently repeatedly stated that the release of P125 million in confidential funds to the Office of the Vice President in 2022 was “illegal” and “unconstitutional.”

Castro made the statement after the OVP filed its formal comments before the Supreme Court, calling for the dismissal of the petitions filed against the transfer. In December 2023, Castro and other lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc filed a petition questioning the legality of Duterte’s confidential funds.

During the 2024 budget deliberations, the Vice President singled out two female lawmakers: Castro and Senator Risa Hontiveros, both of whom scrutinized their confidential funds. (READ: Hontiveros on Duterte’s use of P125 million in 11 days: Daig pa may patagong credit card)

Besides the vice president, Castro is also at odds with the elder Duterte. The House deputy minority leader is investigating the former president’s war on drugs and recently said she plans to subpoena him for a future House Budget Committee hearing on his alleged greenlighting of a questionable transfer of funds for pandemic supplies in 2020. (READ: LIST: Everything you need to know about the Pharmally pandemic deals scandal) – James Patrick Cruz/Rappler.com

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