MANILA -- A third official from the Department of Education has admitted receiving envelopes with cash inside during the tenure of Vice President Sara Duterte as agency head. 

DepEd Chief Accountant Ma. Rhunna Catalan revealed at a House hearing on Tuesday that she received envelopes with money inside last year.

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"Yes sir. Minimal amount lang po. It's not even… It's 25,000," she said in response to the question of House Committee On Good Government and Public Accountability Chairperson and Manila Rep. Joel Chua if she got cash from Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda. 

Catalan, who has been with DepEd for 36 years, said she received envelopes nine times from February to September 2023. 

The DepEd chief accountant also admitted that she did not sign a voucher for the cash inside the envelopes. 

Catalan said she asked why she was being given an envelope the first time she received it. 

"I asked Asec. Shine [Fajarda] if it was part of the confidential funds. She said no, it's just an allowance from the Vice President… I received it honestly on my part, knowing it was not part of the confidential funds," she explained. 

Manila Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante questioned why envelopes were being given to employees in the first place. 

"According kay Asec. Shine [Fajarda], it came from the Secretary who was really just maybe, just grateful sa performance namin. So I considered it not a form of bribery. I was not pressured to sign the liquidation, I was requested to sign," Catalan said. 

"When I was in OSEC, no gifts talaga kami from anyone. No gift policy was in place," former DepEd Undersecretary and Office of the Vice President Spokesperson Michael Poa said. 

The DepEd chief accountant said there was no line item for incentives under the agency's budget, while allowances were placed under personal services in normal, regular appropriations.

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Catalan said she was made to understand the cash came from the personal money of Duterte. 

She said there were no instances of persons being given envelopes with cash in previous administrations. Catalan also said she did not receive envelopes prior to the release of the confidential funds in February. 

"It's something irregular. It does not happen. It did not happen prior to the release of the confidential funds," Lanao Del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said. 

Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro asked Catalan what would be the difference if the cash came from Duterte's personal funds and confidential funds. 

"I could have refused po. Kasi po may nababalitaan po ako 'pag confidential medyo may problema," Catalan responded. 

Rep. Luistro warned Catalan of her possible liability regardless where the money came from. 

"If that money is part of the confidential fund, then you will be implicated for a possible case of malversation. But if that money is part of the personal money of the Vice President, please understand that the mere act of receiving money, you being in the government, already constitutes a violation of the law this is provided under Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act [or] Republic Act 3019," she said. 

"The same is true with respect to Republic Act 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards, Section 7 receiving gifts. And ultimately PD [Presidential Decree] 46 prohibiting the giving and receiving of gifts to public employees," Rep. Luistro added. 

Prior to the questions on the envelopes, Catalan was grilled by lawmakers for signing a liquidation report for P112.5 million in confidential funds without checking the supporting documents. 

The said funds were withdrawn as cash advances by DepEd special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, who is the husband of Assistant Secretary Fajarda. The money was withdrawn through three separate checks each worth P37.5 million in first three quarters of 2023. 

Catalan maintained she was "requested in a nice way" and not pressured by Assistant Secretary Fajarda to sign the report since it is part of her mandate. 

"Yes, your honor, because it is needed as a covering letter or covering document to the liquidation documents, supporting documents," Catalan explained on why she signed the liquidation report. 

When asked if she thinks the envelopes were a form of pressure, she said "maybe". 

Former DepEd Assistant Secretary Reynold Munsayac, former Undersecretary Ret. Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mempin and current Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo denied receiving envelopes. 

Poa earlier said he received envelopes during some instances from Duterte herself. 

"Hindi ko po alam na may ganyang pupunta sa office, binibigyan ng envelope... I think anyone who's worked with the VP [Vice President] would know that the way she does things is highly compartmentalized," he explained. 

In previous hearings, former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Mercado and DepEd Director IV Resty Osias confirmed they received envelopes with cash inside during Duterte's term. 

Mercado said she received envelopes containing P50,000, while Osias said he got envelopes with amounts ranging from P12,000 to P15,000 each. 

Both officials said they got the envelopes from Assistant Secretary Fajarda multiple times and stopped receiving the same in the fourth quarter of 2023. 

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

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