WRAP: Furor over VP Sara Duterte’s rant risks drowning out questions on confidential funds | ABS-CBN
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WRAP: Furor over VP Sara Duterte’s rant risks drowning out questions on confidential funds
WRAP: Furor over VP Sara Duterte’s rant risks drowning out questions on confidential funds
Vice President Sara Duterte attends the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability at the People’s Center, House of Representatives today, September 18, 2024. Courtesy: Office of the Vice President
Vice President Sara Duterte attends the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability at the People’s Center, House of Representatives today, September 18, 2024. Courtesy: Office of the Vice President MANILA — The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is set to resume hearings into alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education but fireworks at the inquiry may be faint in comparison to incidents over the weekend involving the principal of those offices.
MANILA — The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is set to resume hearings into alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education but fireworks at the inquiry may be faint in comparison to incidents over the weekend involving the principal of those offices.
Vice President Sara Duterte early Saturday morning went online to accuse various government officials of corruption and Speaker Martin Romualdez of wanting her dead.
Vice President Sara Duterte early Saturday morning went online to accuse various government officials of corruption and Speaker Martin Romualdez of wanting her dead.
She also said she had arranged for Romualdez as well as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to be killed if that happens.
She also said she had arranged for Romualdez as well as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to be killed if that happens.
Duterte’s supporters said she has had enough of an alleged campaign to discredit her ahead of the 2028 presidential elections, with the panel’s decision to transfer her chief of staff to a women’s prison in Mandaluyong just the last straw.
Duterte’s supporters said she has had enough of an alleged campaign to discredit her ahead of the 2028 presidential elections, with the panel’s decision to transfer her chief of staff to a women’s prison in Mandaluyong just the last straw.
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WHY LOPEZ WAS CITED FOR CONTEMPT
At the center the weekend’s controversy is Zuleika Lopez, a lawyer and Duterte’s chief of staff at the OVP, whom the panel had cited in contempt for, among other things, writing to the Commission on Audit to ask it not to comply with a House subpoena for audit documents of Duterte’s confidential funds in 2022 and 2023.
At the center the weekend’s controversy is Zuleika Lopez, a lawyer and Duterte’s chief of staff at the OVP, whom the panel had cited in contempt for, among other things, writing to the Commission on Audit to ask it not to comply with a House subpoena for audit documents of Duterte’s confidential funds in 2022 and 2023.
Lopez told COA that sending the documents to the House would violate the separation of powers, Duterte’s right to due process and the confidential nature of the funds, which are often used for surveillance and other intelligence-gathering activities.
Lopez told COA that sending the documents to the House would violate the separation of powers, Duterte’s right to due process and the confidential nature of the funds, which are often used for surveillance and other intelligence-gathering activities.
While Lopez apologized and said the letter was just a request to COA and not a command, the panel voted to cite her in contempt and to detain her at the House until the Monday hearing.
While Lopez apologized and said the letter was just a request to COA and not a command, the panel voted to cite her in contempt and to detain her at the House until the Monday hearing.
“The basis really is the totality of acts including all the letters, questioning the jurisdiction, failure to attend our numerous hearings in the past,” Quezon Rep. David “Jay Jay” Suarez said.
“The basis really is the totality of acts including all the letters, questioning the jurisdiction, failure to attend our numerous hearings in the past,” Quezon Rep. David “Jay Jay” Suarez said.
The order to transfer Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Women was, according to panel chair Rep. Joel Chua, prompted by Duterte's decision to camp out in her brother Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte's office to be near Lopez.
The order to transfer Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Women was, according to panel chair Rep. Joel Chua, prompted by Duterte's decision to camp out in her brother Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte's office to be near Lopez.
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Chua said early Saturday morning this had raised security concerns for the House, which had to be put on lockdown.
Chua said early Saturday morning this had raised security concerns for the House, which had to be put on lockdown.
HOUSE LEADERS: PROBE IS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Duterte’s post-midnight tirade has caught the attention of the international press, as well as of the Presidential Security Command, the National Security Council, the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice.
Duterte’s post-midnight tirade has caught the attention of the international press, as well as of the Presidential Security Command, the National Security Council, the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice.
But House leaders warned Sunday against losing sight of indications of possible abuse of the confidential funds, which, by their nature are more difficult to audit than regular budget items.
But House leaders warned Sunday against losing sight of indications of possible abuse of the confidential funds, which, by their nature are more difficult to audit than regular budget items.
“The House wanted to protect public funds and acted on the COA report questioning hundreds of millions of pesos in [Confidential and Intelligence Fund] expenses by Madam Sara Duterte as Vice President and as DepEd secretary,” Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe of Zamboanga City said of the inquiry.
“The House wanted to protect public funds and acted on the COA report questioning hundreds of millions of pesos in [Confidential and Intelligence Fund] expenses by Madam Sara Duterte as Vice President and as DepEd secretary,” Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe of Zamboanga City said of the inquiry.
COA findings can be reconciled and the commission gives agencies opportunities to address its observations, the due process that Lopez referred to in her letter to the commission.
COA findings can be reconciled and the commission gives agencies opportunities to address its observations, the due process that Lopez referred to in her letter to the commission.
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Duterte has also repeatedly denied any fund misuse.
Duterte has also repeatedly denied any fund misuse.
She said allegations against her are meant to "mask the real problem of the country right now...the sad plight of the poor and the hungry because of the unabated rise of food prices."
She said allegations against her are meant to "mask the real problem of the country right now...the sad plight of the poor and the hungry because of the unabated rise of food prices."
MARY GRACE PIATTOS, DIFFERING SIGNATURES AND A JETSETTING DISBURSEMENT OFFICER
Lawmakers at hearings this week have however flagged potential irregularities, including Acknowledgment Receipts for confidential expenses bearing the same name but different signatures.
Lawmakers at hearings this week have however flagged potential irregularities, including Acknowledgment Receipts for confidential expenses bearing the same name but different signatures.
"How unlikely would that be, two persons with the same name, bearing the same spellings, with the same last name and first names, possible po ba ‘yan (Is that possible)?” Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said at the Nov. 20 hearing.
"How unlikely would that be, two persons with the same name, bearing the same spellings, with the same last name and first names, possible po ba ‘yan (Is that possible)?” Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said at the Nov. 20 hearing.
A COA representative acknowledged that that was "likely less possible."
A COA representative acknowledged that that was "likely less possible."
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1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, at the same hearing, pointed to the impossibility of DepEd Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda being in several provinces in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao on the same day to disburse money.
1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, at the same hearing, pointed to the impossibility of DepEd Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda being in several provinces in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao on the same day to disburse money.
“Kahit na common sense i-apply n’yo dyan. Talagang imposible,” ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro, who had moved for Lopez to be cited for contempt, said.
“Kahit na common sense i-apply n’yo dyan. Talagang imposible,” ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro, who had moved for Lopez to be cited for contempt, said.
(Even if you just apply common sense, that is really impossible)
(Even if you just apply common sense, that is really impossible)
House members have also been scrutinizing the names on the acknowledgement receipts, including one "Mary Grace Piattos" who lawmakers suspect does not exist.
House members have also been scrutinizing the names on the acknowledgement receipts, including one "Mary Grace Piattos" who lawmakers suspect does not exist.
Duterte has declined comment on the mysterious Ms. Piattos, saying she has not seen the documents House members are referring to but has defended the OVP spending P16 million for short-term rentals of "safe houses" at rates higher than the monthly rent of a Metro Manila condominium unit, and which COA acknowledged it had not tried to verify.
Duterte has declined comment on the mysterious Ms. Piattos, saying she has not seen the documents House members are referring to but has defended the OVP spending P16 million for short-term rentals of "safe houses" at rates higher than the monthly rent of a Metro Manila condominium unit, and which COA acknowledged it had not tried to verify.
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"Alam niyo, hindi nakapagtataka sa gobyerno na gumastos ng millions araw-araw. Kami noon sa DepEd noon, pumipirma kami billions in one day para maglabas ng pera. So hindi nakapagtataka ang kahit na P10 million in a day," Duterte told media in an Oct. 16 press conference.
"Alam niyo, hindi nakapagtataka sa gobyerno na gumastos ng millions araw-araw. Kami noon sa DepEd noon, pumipirma kami billions in one day para maglabas ng pera. So hindi nakapagtataka ang kahit na P10 million in a day," Duterte told media in an Oct. 16 press conference.
(You know, it is not surprising for government to spend millions a day. When I was at DepEd, we signed for the release of billions in one day. So P10 million a day is should not raise eyebrows)
(You know, it is not surprising for government to spend millions a day. When I was at DepEd, we signed for the release of billions in one day. So P10 million a day is should not raise eyebrows)
Rep. Chua has indicated that the hearing on Monday will push through, with Rep. Castro saying Sunday that the panel expects to hear from new resource persons.
Rep. Chua has indicated that the hearing on Monday will push through, with Rep. Castro saying Sunday that the panel expects to hear from new resource persons.
Although Lopez has indicated she will attend the hearing and answer all questions so she can be released by the House and sent home as soon as possible, the Veterans Memorial Medical Center where she has been confined after an apparent panic attack early Saturday has become a point of convergence for Duterte supporters.
Although Lopez has indicated she will attend the hearing and answer all questions so she can be released by the House and sent home as soon as possible, the Veterans Memorial Medical Center where she has been confined after an apparent panic attack early Saturday has become a point of convergence for Duterte supporters.
Sens. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go have commandeered a hospital room to stay in as they stand guard over Lopez and the dramatic arrival of Sen. Imee Marcos — the President's brother and Speaker Romualdez's cousin — by helicopter may mean that a potential crisis that began before dawn on Saturday is not yet over.
Sens. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go have commandeered a hospital room to stay in as they stand guard over Lopez and the dramatic arrival of Sen. Imee Marcos — the President's brother and Speaker Romualdez's cousin — by helicopter may mean that a potential crisis that began before dawn on Saturday is not yet over.
RELATED VIDEO
Read More:
Sara Duterte
Office of the Vice President
Department of Education
Confidential Funds
Commission on Audit
House of Representatives
House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability
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