THE hurried encashment and spending of P125 million, coupled with conflicting dates in the supporting records, indicate an alleged effort to misuse or misappropriate the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds.
House impeachment trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur said the speed of the cash transactions must be examined alongside the deficiencies identified in the documents submitted for audit.
“Ibig sabihin, kung titingnan natin ‘yung pag-encash nito na unusual, na madaliang inencash, madalian talagang ginastos din ito. Dahil madaliang ginastos, hindi tugma-tugma yung dates, at hindi tama ‘yung kanilang binigay ng mga documentary evidence to prove that the confidential funds was used in compliance with the Joint Circular ng COA,” Alonto Adiong stressed in a press conference Wednesday after the Senate impeachment trial.
Former Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) officials earlier testified that the OVP’s P125-million Treasury check was encashed in full after advance coordination with the branch to assemble the unusually large amount of cash.
House prosecutor Joel Chua of Manila said some acknowledgment receipts offered to justify the December 2022 spending bore dates from a period when the OVP no longer had confidential funds.
“Pero yung ginagamit nilang justification para sa December 2022 ay nasa last quarter ng December 2023. So dito pa lang makikita mo na ang problema,” Chua explained.⠀
“Pangalawa, mayroon pa rin doon na ginamit na justification na ang petsa ay November 2022. Etong buwan na ito wala pang confidential fund dahil ang confidential fund, uulitin ko, ay para sa pechang December 2022,” he added.
The discrepancies formed part of a wider audit review that began with the OVP’s planning documents and proceeded to the liquidation records and evidence of payment.
“Doon sa physical and financial plan ang sabi ng COA hindi siya compliant dahil unang-una hindi specific at hindi particular kung anong confidential activities ang gagawin nila,” Alonto Adiong noted.
The absence of specific activities prevented auditors from matching the proposed use of the money with the amounts released and the accomplishments later reported by the agency.
“So klaro po ‘yun, ‘iyun po ‘yung na-establish natin talaga na meron talagang effort in attempt to really misuse or misappropriate the P125M Confidential Funds intended to be used with for the last quarter of 2022,” Alonto Adiong maintained.
metrosundaily
