TINGOG Party-list Representative Jude Acidre raised serious concerns during a hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability on Wednesday, pressing officials over the handling of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Acidre delivered an exhaustive interpellation, scrutinizing the processes and decisions surrounding the disbursement of these funds.
“Sino ang nagnakaw ng pera ng bayan?” Acidre asked, emphasizing the need for answers to the Filipino people.
During the hearing, Acidre directed questions to Atty. Zuleika Lopez, Chief of Staff of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), regarding the designation of Special Disbursing Officers (SDOs) Gina Acosta and Edward Fajarda. Acidre began by confirming Lopez’s relationship with Acosta, asking, “Personal niyo pong kakilala si Ginang Gina Acosta?” Lopez answered, “Yes, Your Honor.” Acidre then pressed further, asking about Acosta’s connection to the City Government of Davao, where Lopez had previously served as City Administrator. Lopez confirmed that Acosta had worked with the City Budget Office during that time.
Acidre then questioned Lopez on Acosta’s qualifications and the process behind her designation as SDO. “So, sa tingin niyo po, pagkakaalam niyo po, paano kaya napili si Ginang Acosta bilang SDO? Kasi I’m sure there must be a reason for you to have chosen her from Davao LGU and bring her to the Office of the Vice President.” Lopez clarified, “Your Honor, I did not choose her as SDO.” Acidre followed up, “So it was not your decision to choose her as SDO?” Lopez reiterated, “I was not the one, Your Honor, for the record, to designate Miss Acosta.”
Acidre pressed further, asking Lopez if she was consulted about Acosta’s appointment or if she believed Acosta was qualified for the role. Lopez stated, “No, Your Honor. I was not consulted.” She further admitted, “I have no knowledge of the qualifications or experience that made her suitable as SDO.” Acidre asked if Acosta’s designation came directly from the Vice President, to which Lopez confirmed, “Yes, Your Honor.”
The congressman shifted his questioning to Edward Fajarda, another SDO, asking Lopez about his qualifications and role in handling confidential funds. Acidre inquired, “So hindi niyo alam kung paano pinipili ang tao pero alam niyo po kung paano tinatanggal ang tao sa Office of the Secretary ng Department of Education?” Lopez admitted, “Yes, Your Honor. That was a task given to me by the Vice President.”
Highlighting inconsistencies in administrative processes, Acidre asked Lopez if she had any role in approving documents related to the disbursement of confidential funds. Lopez denied involvement, stating, “That particular document, the designation, was not prepared by the Office of the Chief of Staff, and it did not go through me.”
Acidre then focused on the OVP’s use of the P500 million confidential funds, confirming through Lopez that none of the funds were used for socioeconomic programs. Acidre asked, “For the record, did any of your programs or projects implemented by the Office of the Vice President receive funding from the confidential funds?” Lopez responded, “None, Your Honor.” Acidre continued, “So itong P500 million in the case of the OVP, were for items that were never part of assistance programs, nothing to do with helping the people. Tama po ba?” Lopez replied, “None, Your Honor.”
Acidre also scrutinized the close connections among the three individuals tasked with handling these funds—Acosta, Fajarda, and Lopez—all of whom had prior affiliations with the Davao City Government. He remarked, “Tatlong tao lamang na magkakakilala, magkakaibigan, magkakapamilya, ang nagkaroon ng kontrol sa halos kalahating bilyong pera ng bayan. Hindi ba dapat managot sila?”
In his manifestation, Acidre addressed the committee and the public, underscoring the gravity of the investigation. “Mula pa sa simula, malinaw na ang layunin ng imbestigasyong ito: alamin ang katotohanan sa likod ng kwestyunableng confidential funds na inilaan para sa Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo at sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon. Ang pinakamahalagang tanong: ‘Nagamit ba sa tama ang pera ng bayan?’”
Acidre raised key points about the lack of clarity and accountability in the disbursement processes, particularly concerning questionable liquidation documents accepted by the Commission on Audit. He also questioned the use of funds for the Youth Leadership Summit, noting inconsistencies in the explanations provided by different agencies.
He further highlighted the missed opportunities to use these funds for critical needs in education. “Ang P150 milyon confidential fund ng DepEd, halimbawa, ay tila walang malinaw na plano kung paano ito ginamit. Kung ginamit ito ayon sa mandato ng DepEd, sana’y nakabili tayo ng halos 150,000 armchairs, 3 milyong libro, o 4,286 laptops para sa ating mga guro at mag-aaral,” Acidre pointed out.
Concluding his remarks, Acidre issued a powerful call to action: “Hinihikayat ko ang komiteng ito na ating ipagpatuloy ang mga pagdinig na nasimulan. Huwag tayong titigil, huwag tayong mapagod hanggang mailabas ang katotohanan at magkaroon ng kasagutan ang mga tanong ng sambayanan na nananatiling matalim at mariin: ‘Nasaan ang pera ng bayan? Sino si Mary Grace Piattos? At higit sa lahat, sino ang nagnakaw ng pera ng bayan?’”
