HOUSE trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur on Wednesday said the latest Commission on Audit (COA) findings involving P168 million in relief operations of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), led by Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, point to a pattern that reflects what he called a “sense of untouchability.”
Alonto Adiong drew a parallel between the latest audit findings and documentation issues surrounding the alleged misuse of the OVP’s P500-million confidential funds, which is among the subjects of Duterte’s ongoing impeachment trial..
“I think the pattern is being established when there’s a sense of impunity. That, I guess, glaring display of the mindset na that sense of untouchability—na nobody can actually call them out, that they are above the law,” Alonto Adiong said at a House prosecution press briefing.
“And ’yung feeling of being untouchable is what makes these apparent similarities very glaring. Ganoon ’yung nakikita natin na attitude and behavior,” he added.
In a special audit of the OVP’s use of the 2025 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, COA flagged documentation and procedural deficiencies involving P168 million that affected auditors’ ability to verify whether relief reached intended beneficiaries.
Published reports said COA flagged unidentified beneficiaries, undocumented changes in relief distributions, incomplete beneficiary records and discrepancies between OVP and local government reports.
Alonto Adiong said he saw similarities between those deficiencies and questions over documents supporting the OVP’s confidential fund expenditures that have figured in Duterte’s impeachment trial.
“May similarity ’yung pinag-usapan nating confidential funds dito sa impeachment court, though this is a separate case altogether. Pero may similarity,” he said.
“Andoon pa rin ’yung nire-require ng COA na bakit walang resibo?” Alonto Adiong added.
He said relief distributions should be supported by records identifying where the assistance went, who received it and how it was released.
“Kasi unang-una, pag ayuda ’yan, mag-aayuda ka. Una, saan mo dadalhin ’yung ayuda? Sino’ng nag-benefit dito sa ayuda? Paano ka nag-release ng mga ayuda? So mukhang ’yun ang lacking na mga documents,” he said.
The OVP told auditors that conditions during disaster operations could change on the ground and require adjustments. COA maintained that such changes should be properly documented and supported.
The latest audit findings are separate from Duterte’s impeachment trial, where prosecutors have presented evidence questioning documents submitted to support the OVP’s confidential fund expenditures.
The special audit also does not amount to an adverse opinion on the OVP’s overall financial statements. COA issued an unmodified opinion on the OVP’s 2025 financial statements, meaning auditors found them fairly presented, in all material respects, under the applicable financial reporting framework.
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