THE House Blue Ribbon Committee has uncovered serious irregularities in the handling of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) with Vice President Sara Duterte at the helm, raising the possibility of plunder charges being filed against the officials involved.
Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, during Monday’s hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability on confidential funds, cited the sheer scale of the confidential funds involved and their questionable disbursement.
“Let me remind the public of what is at stake here: it would constitute graft and corruption if public funds are misused or misappropriated or worse, if funds are diverted to personal use or benefit. And given the amount we are talking about here, this is clearly plunder,” Acop declared in his opening statement.
He underscored the gravity of the inquiry, describing the lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds as a blatant disregard for the law.
The committee’s investigation revealed that confidential funds allocated to the OVP and DepEd were disbursed in a manner that directly violated Commission on Audit-Department of Budget and Management Joint Circular No. 2015-01.
This circular mandates stringent documentation and clear accountability for confidential and intelligence funds. However, the inquiry exposed a system that bypassed these safeguards entirely.
Acop noted that confidential funds were withdrawn in massive amounts and encashed quarterly by Special Disbursing Officers (SDOs), who then handed them over to “security officers.”
At the OVP, SDO Gina Acosta encashed P125 million per quarter between late 2022 and 2023, while at DepEd, SDO Edward Fajarda encashed P37.5 million per quarter.
“Malalaking halaga po ang mga ito. Sa OVP pa lang, nakakakuha sila ng P125 million kada quarter simula noong Q4 of 2022 hanggang Q3 of 2023. Sa DepEd naman, P37.5 million per quarter for 3 quarters, or a total of P112.5 million,” Acop disclosed.
Both SDOs testified that their role ended once the funds were handed to security officers, with no oversight or documentation of how the funds were used.
“Wala po akong alam sa pag-implement po ng confidential activities po dahil po hindi ko po iyan in line sa aking pinag-aralan,” Acosta admitted in earlier hearings.
Similarly, Fajarda stated, “Your Honor, hindi po kasi ako ang expert diyan, si Colonel Nolasco po. Siya po kasi ang gumawa niyan.”
The lack of compliance with Joint Circular 2015-01 was evident in the preparation of liquidation reports, which were largely drafted by security officers rather than the SDOs.
Acop highlighted the irregularity, noting that acknowledgment receipts for fund disbursement were often submitted after the liquidation reports had already been filed.
“Tila ba sinasadya tayong nililito, nililigaw at pinapagulo ang narrative sa kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa OVP at DepEd Confidential Funds,” he said.
Acop also questioned VP Duterte’s apparent reliance on confidential funds, both as Mayor of Davao City and now as Vice President and previously as DepEd secretary.
“Mula sa Davao City na lumaki nang lumaki noong siya’y mayor, hanggang sa mas malalaking pondo nang mapasakamay niya bilang Vice President at DepEd Secretary,” he said.
The scale of the misuse – amounting to some P612.5 million – further underscores its potential classification as plunder, which carries severe penalties under Philippine law.
Acop emphasized the need for accountability to restore public trust.
“Ngunit unti-unti, sa pamamagitan ng ating masusi at pursigidong pagtatanong at sa paghahanap ng mga facts at ebidensya, ay ating natatanggal ang secrecy na nagkukubli at nagtatago sa katotohanan,” he explained.
The inquiry also revealed how the improper handling of these funds undermines public governance, as Acop urged Congress to enact reforms to close loopholes that allowed such abuses.
“We leave it to the investigative bodies of the government to investigate the crimes committed here. Meanwhile, our task now is to legislate measures that will leave no room for pilferage of public funds,” he stressed.
Acop reiterated that the investigation aims not only to uncover the truth but also to ensure that the government upholds the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
