The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chaired by Manila Representative Joel Chua resumed its inquiry into the fund utilization of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during the tenure of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Antipolo City Representative Romeo Acop raised concerns about the use of confidential funds wherein he said improper or false liquidation processes suggest misuse and that “if liquidation instruments are incorrect, the funds were either pocketed or used for other purposes”.
Acop highlighted that what appears to have happened is the submission of faulty documentary evidence of payments (DEPs) or acknowledgment receipts (ARs) to legalize the spending.
“There are only two things na pinuntahan ng pondo, nagamit sa iba or ibinulsa.”
“But as it is, ‘yong liquidation instruments ay mali-mali po. Kaya sigurado ako hindi po napunta sa tama ‘yong pondo. There are only two things na pinuntahan ng pondo, nagamit sa iba or ibinulsa,” the legislator said.
Nueva Ecija Representative Mikaela Angela Suansing presented a different report showing significant increases in the OVP’s regular expenditures, as outlined in the 2023 and 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), compared to pre-2022 levels. The expenditures have notably surged from 2023, and are proposed to remain high in 2025, with substantial increases across various categories.
“Mas malaki po o di hamak na mas malaki ‘yong expenditure ng OVP.”
“Mas malaki po o di hamak na mas malaki ‘yong expenditure ng OVP,” Suansing noted, emphasizing the drastic rise in costs for supplies and materials between 2023 and 2024.
Commission on Audit (COA) Audit Team Leader Fahad Bin Abdulmalik Tomawis explained that the primary reason for the higher expenditures in 2023 and 2024 are due to extensive disaster relief operations and the establishment of OVP satellite offices.
Several committee members expressed disappointment after key resource persons from the OVP skipped the hearing, prompting the panel to issue another subpoena for their attendance in the next hearing.
“I just hope that they realize that the committee is providing them an ample due process and avenue for them to be able to refute, to belie the findings that we have established already. But they prefer not attending the hearing rather than giving their due explanation to all the issues which have been raised already,” Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro said.
Luistro also noted VP Duterte’s statement during a previous press conference, where she indicated that the DepEd would be responsible for providing confidential information to the military and local government units (LGUs) concerning national security matters.
“Hindi po ba baliktad ito Mr. Chair? Because it is indeed the mandate of the AFP to promote and secure the national security and interest of our country,” the lady legislator said.
The lawmaker also noted that the total expenditures for the counter-insurgency program was P4.05 million only, even though the allocated amount is P15.540 million or with P10.490 million missing funds.
Based on her observations, the payment of rewards is not consistent with the recipient’s location where the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) and Information Education Campaign (IEC) were conducted.
Luistro concluded that there is a prima facie case for malversation and breach of public trust due to the missing confidential funds.
DepEd Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan also disclosed that she received cash envelopes labeled as “allowance” during VP Duterte’s time as education chief. Catalan confirmed receiving P25,000 monthly for nine months in 2023 from then DepEd Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda.
Catalan also admitted being requested to sign liquidation vouchers for P112.5 million in confidential funds, that were withdrawn by Fajarda’s husband Edward Fajarda, who served as VP Duterte’s special disbursing officer. This admission follows similar testimonies from other DepEd officials who reported receiving cash from Fajarda, prompting the committee to issue subpoenas for the Fajarda couple to appear in the next hearing.
