QUEZON CITY –  Another ranking official from the Department of Education (DepEd) admitted to a House panel on Thursday that he received envelopes with money inside during the term of then Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Atty. Resty Osias, DepEd Director IV and Bids and Awards Committee VI Chairperson, made the revelation during the third hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

The House panel has been looking into the alleged misuse of confidential funds of DepEd under then Secretary Duterte.

Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano asked Osias if he received envelopes like former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Mercado, who testified in a previous hearing.

"I must be candid about this. I must say I did. But I didn't know. Because I was new in the department, I thought it was a practice in the Department.  The very first time I encountered that matter was sometime in April of 2023," Osias said in response.

"I didn't know why I was summoned to the office of Asec [Assistant Secretary] Shine. And then, I was given an envelope. It was later on I found out there was money in it. It's not because I was BAC member yet, because I was not at that time," Osias said.

The DepEd official said he was called to the office of Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda four times and he was "grateful."

"It started April I think it was until September of that year...I think it was something like between P12,000 to P15,000, sir. It was a very minimal amount," he explained.

Osias told lawmakers he stopped receiving envelopes in the fourth quarter of 2023.

"Mukang sumakto. Sa panahon na 'di na ginagamit ng DepEd ang confidential funds for the last quarter nang pumuputok na issue ng confidential funds," Valeriano said.

In a House hearing last September, former Undersecretary Mercado revealed that she received nine envelopes that contained P50,000 after being appointed Head of the Procuring Entity (HOPE).

Mercado claimed that she was told the envelopes with cash came from the Office of then Secretary Duterte. She said the envelopes were handed to her by Fajarda.

Duterte dared Mercado to show proof of her allegations while also calling her a "disgruntled former DepEd employee."

She said Mercado was let go after she supposedly sent an unauthorized solicitation letter asking for P16 million on behalf of DepEd.

Mercado, who had been in public service for 40 years, denied receiving any solicitation money.

Former DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa also confirmed receiving envelopes with money during some instances.

"When I was HOPE [Head of the Procuring Entity] sir. I became HOPE, I can categorically say I was not able to receive a single envelope at all. But I do remember sometime December 2022 or early December, I did receive an envelope. Just minimal amount," he said.

Poa explained there were times he was scolded for fronting money, when people would put forward their issues when he was spokesperson.

"So there were instances, occasional. Although not regularly, not like monthly at all. I would receive, but not from Asec. Shine. When I would tell the VP [Vice President] like nung Christimas, the VP would give herself," he added.

Former DepEd undersecretary Ret. Maj. Gen Nolasco Mempin said he did not receive any envelopes during his time in the agency.

The Office of the Vice President has yet to issue a statement on the revelation.