VP may be liable for graft if she can’t justify intel, DepEd expenses
By JOSEPH ANTHONY A. DAMGO
Leaders from the House of Representatives’ “Young Guns” strongly condemned Vice President Sara Duterte for deliberately skipping the continuation of the committee on appropriations hearing on the proposed P2.037-billion budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2025.
House Assistant Majority Leaders Jil Bongalon (Ako Bicol Partylist), Jay Khonghun (Zambales, 1st District), and Francisco Paolo Ortega V (La Union, 1st District) denounced the Vice President’s refusal to face Congress, calling it blatant act of disrespect toward the legislative process and the Filipino people.
Bongalon did not mince words, characterizing Duterte’s absence as a sign of weakness and a lack of accountability. “It is disheartening to see the Vice President avoid the scrutiny that comes with public office. Her actions show a lack of respect not only for Congress but for every Filipino,” he stated.
“If she cannot face the very institution responsible for overseeing government funds, how can she claim to serve the people effectively?” Bongalon added. “Hindi ito ugali ng isang tunay na pinuno, para siyang batang nagtatago kapag napapagalitan.”
Khonghun criticized the Vice President’s behavior as not only disrespectful but also deeply unbecoming of someone in her position.
“Her absence is not just an insult to Congress but to the Filipino people who deserve answers about how their money is being spent. This act of snubbing the budget deliberation reeks of a bratty attitude unbecoming of someone holding the second highest office in the land,” Khonghun said.
“Dapat siyang humarap at magpaliwanag, hindi umiiwas na parang bata. Hindi ito ang ugali ng isang opisyal na seryoso sa kanyang mandato,” he added.
Ortega took an even firmer stance, accusing the Vice President of undermining the very principles of leadership and public service by refusing to participate in the crucial budget process.
“Nakababahala at hindi katanggap-tanggap na sa kabila ng mga seryosong isyung kinakaharap ng kanyang tanggapan, hindi nagpakita si VP Sara sa hearing ng OVP budget,”Ortega said.
He continued, “Ito ay malinaw na kawalan ng respeto sa proseso ng budget deliberations. Hindi ito ugali ng isang lider na may malasakit sa bayan. Kung walang itinatago, bakit siya umiiwas?”
The “Young Guns” leaders expressed outrage at the Vice President’s apparent disdain for transparency and accountability, warning that such behavior is completely unacceptable for someone entrusted with public office.
They called on her to stop hiding behind her position and face Congress to explain how the OVP intends to use its budget—an obligation she owes to the Filipino people.
“Public service is not a privilege, it’s a responsibility. If she refuses to fulfill her duty to be transparent and accountable, then she does not deserve the trust of the people,” they pointed out.
A senior member of the House of Representatives also lambasted the vice president for foregoing her attendance at the budget hearing of the (OVP, describing it as an insult to the institution scrutinizing the agency’s use of its funds.
A visibly incensed Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante manifested during the OVP’s budget hearing that the heads of agencies must be present during the deliberations of their funding for the next fiscal year.
“My goodness, I think her writing a letter to us telling us that she has completed, she still must be present, Madam Chair. And because she is not present, she is actually insulting the second institution that scrutinize the budget of the Vice President,” Abante declared.
“And I do not care even if she is the Vice President, Madam Chair. I will not allow that Congress will be insulted by the head of any agency,” he added.
Duterte earlier sent a letter to the House of Representatives addressed to Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Appropriations Panel Chairperson Zaldy Co, saying that she already articulated her position in her previous opening statement and defers to the committee regarding the OVP’s 2025 budget.
Although she did not state in her letter that she is not attending the budget hearing, she failed to show up.
“It is also a cherished tradition in Congress that whenever we deliberate the budget of a certain agency that the head of the agency must be present. At this point in time, there were no staff here of the head of the agency present of the Office of the Vice President,” Abante said.
“Let me explain, her letter actually, her not being present, is an insult to this institution. When we had our last hearing, I even questioned her if this institution has the right to scrutinize the budget and she even failed to answer,” he added.
Abante also said that even the Commission on Audit (COA) defers to the OVP for the answers to several questions of lawmakers.
“And COA even answered that only the OVP could be able to answer (some questions),” he said.
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe said VP Sara may be liable for graft if she cannot justify P73.2 million in intelligence expenses disallowed by the Commission on Audit (COA), and supposed P12.3 billion in similar “disallowances and suspensions” in the Department of Education (DepEd) in 2023.
Dalipe also called on COA to make a final report soon on the questionable disbursements, together with its recommendations.
“More than just allegations of mismanagement, she may be held liable for graft, for possible violation of the anti-graft laws, if she cannot adequately explain and justify the adverse findings, and if the COA does not accept her explanations and justifications,” Dalipe said.
As it is, he said the COA has been asking VP Duterte tor return the P73.2 million disallowed from her spending of P125 million in intelligence funds that were used up in just 11 days, or P11.36 million a day, he said.
Dalipe said the audit commission has been similarly requiring her, as education secretary, and other DepEd officials to allegedly repay the government of P12.3 billion in expenses that were of doubtful legality and validity.
The Vice President served as DepEd secretary at the start of the Marcos administration until she resigned last July 19.
In its audit of the P125-million intelligence fund of the Office of the Vice President, the COA noted several irregularities, including late submission of liquidation reports, irregularities in notarization dates and the failure to submit required accomplishment reports to pertinent offices in a timely manner.
The House leader said the most glaring concern is the unexplained disallowance, which amounts to more than half of the confidential funds used by the OVP in 2022.
"This raises serious questions about the propriety of how these funds were used. The fact that ₱73 million was flagged means that the public deserves answers. If the Vice President's office cannot explain or rectify these discrepancies, this could lead to more than just administrative penalties. It could point to criminal liability for graft," he said.
COA’s audit further revealed that the 2023 confidential fund liquidations are still under scrutiny, with two Audit Observation Memorandums (AOMs) issued covering the first three quarters.
Dalipe noted that while no notices of disallowance have been issued yet, the AOMs suggest significant deficiencies that must be addressed to avoid potential disallowances in the future.
The congressman called on relevant agencies, notably COA and Congress, which has oversight power over public funds, to take the audit findings on OVP intelligence funds and DepEd expenses seriously.
He said the audit and investigation of these disbursements should be pursued to their logical conclusion.
“No one, regardless of position, is above the law. If public funds were misused, we owe it to the Filipino people to hold those responsible accountable,” Dalipe stressed.
In calling on COA to make a concluding report accompanied by recommendations, Dalipe pointed out that in the past, the audit commission had submitted its final finding to the Office of the Ombudsman if the case of public officers unable to return suspended and disallowed expenses.
Just recently, he said a town mayor was ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman even if he paid back part of the disbursements deemed unauthorized by COA.
“So I am asking the COA to submit its final report the Office of the Ombudsman and Congress ASAP. Its rules should apply to all public officers, regardless of rank,” he reiterated.
Based on its audit report on DepEd for 2023, the last full year VP Duterte headed the agency, the COA issued notices of suspension amounting covering P10.1 billion, notices of disallowance totaling P2.2 billion and notices of charges worth P7.38 million due to “noncompliance with existing laws and regulations.”
The COA said it had required “management,” meaning DepEd officials led by Duterte, to returned the funds and that they had agreed to do so.
“We recommended, and the management agreed, to cause the immediate settlement of the suspensions, disallowances, and charges in accordance with the revised RRSA (Rules and Regulations on Settlement of Accounts),” the COA said in its report.
Another senior member of the House, appropriations committee chairman Zaldy Co said VP Sara’s 11-day ‘sapping’ of confidential funds worse than Janet Napoles’ PDAF scam
Co also responded to Duterte’s video message attacking him and Speaker Martin Romualdez, saying it only tries to divert people’s attention from the issues hounding her.
“Obvious na diversionary tactic [ang sinabi ni Duterte]. Nililihis niya ang issue kasi ayaw niyang magpaliwanang,” said Co, who is also Ako Bicol party-list representative.
At the hearing for the 2025 OVP budget, Co said the budget hearings are the people’s way of accounting for where their money goes through their representatives in Congress.
He said the report from the Commission on Audit for the 2022 expenditures of the OVP noted that P125 million of its confidential funds were spent only in 11 days. The COA report also issued a notice of disallowance for P73 million of the same funds.
“Tinalo pa ang Napoles fund na 60 days ginastos ang pera,” he said.
“Waldas at lakwatsa ang lumalabas… nangurakot. Diversionary tactic, nililihis kasi ayaw niyang magpaliwanag. Nagsabi ang COA na mali ang paggastos nito. Kulelat ang mga bata, sirang pagkain at nutribun para sa mag-aaral. Malala ang panunungkulan. Di pumapasok sa DepEd sa gitna ng kapalpakan,” Co said of Duterte, who has resigned as Department of Education secretary.
The House appropriations committee chairman said Duterte is the only vice president in Philippine history with that many bodyguards.
“Sasabihin niyang simpleng tao lang siya pero mahigit 400 bodyguards. Siya ang kaisa-isang VP na may ganung kadaming security, may sarili pang Vice Presidential security group—very first time sa history ng Pilipinas. Pang-iinsulto ito at pag-aaksaya sa resources ng gobyerno,” said Co.
He said the Vice President has been very disrespectful of people’s representatives who have only been doing their job.
“Hindi siya sanay sa pagbubusisi ng budget. Ang hindi niya pagdalo sa budget hearing ay kawalan ng respeto at paggalang sa mga kinatawan ng bayan. Meron pang winalanghiyang mga sagot sa mga tanong. Pang-iinsulto ito sa mga kongresista na ginagawa lang ang kanilang trabaho,” Co said.
Also in the same hearing, Rep. Doris Maniquiz (2nd District, Zambales) said the OVP under Duterte spent P53 million for satellite and extension offices that duplicate the functions of the regional offices of the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Health, Labor and Employment, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
“Dun sa OVP natin, lumalabas na 53 million ang lease niya per annum na kung tutuusin ay duplication lang ng line agencies natin,” she said.
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