Vice-President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on November 25, 2024, while the hearing on alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education is suspended. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA – A lawmaker said on Monday the House of Representatives will find out whether individuals with records at the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and listed as supposed recipients of confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte actually received the money. 

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House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V said they will focus on checking the over 670 names from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and 272 names from the Department of Education (DepEd), after initially reviewing signatories of acknowledgement receipts with alleged dubious names.

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"Maganda rin po na tignan natin yung mga number po, yung 600 plus na mayroon records," Ortega said at a press briefing on Monday.  

"Kailangan din po natin siguro na tignan kung nakatanggap nga po ba sila o mayroon silang mga nakuha na pondo. Para hindi lang yung mga walang pangalan. So, we will look into that as part po ng continuing po na trabaho natin dito sa House of Representatives," he added.  

Ortega said they are still reviewing the thousands of acknowledgement receipts supposedly submitted by OVP and DepEd to the Commission on Audit (COA).

'NEW NAMES'

 The House leader on Sunday bared a new set of "dubious" names that supposedly received confidential funds from the offices of Duterte. 

Among the new names are "Honeylet Camille Sy," "Feonna Biong," "Feonna Villegas," and "Joel Linangan," alleged recipients of confidential funds from the OVP. 

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The other names "Fiona Ranitez," "Erwin Q. Ewan," "Ellen Magellan" and "Gary Tanada" supposedly received confidential funds from DepEd.

Like the previously revealed names, the lawmaker said thie new set of names don't have birth, marriage and death records from the PSA.

"Maganda rin po makita yung anggulo ng mga tao na merong pangalan at meron pong pagkatao at may requirements po from the PSA. At siyempre itong mga tao, maganda rin pong malaman kung nakatanggap nga po ba sila o hindi," Ortega said.

"Kaya nga po tinitignan natin, yung angle ng mga nakatanggap naman. Yung mga may records, dahil baka dun sa part na yon e may makausap tayo, may maimbitahan tayong mga tao na pwede magpaliwanag kung nakatanggap nga ba sila at paano ginamit yung mga pondo na iyon," he said.

Ortega said there are over 600 names from the OVP and more than 200 from the DepEd with PSA records. 

The lawmaker said the acknowledgement receipts being reviewed are the ones discussed during the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, where the first dubious names "Mary Grace Piattos" and "Kokoy Villamin" were revealed.

Since then, Ortega has revealed several individuals with dubious names, some seemingly items from a grocery list and others with repetitive or similar names.

When asked about those using and creating the fictitious names, Ortega believes those releasing the money know what they are doing. 

"Tingin ko sanay na sila. Alam nila kung paano patakbuhin yung ganitong sistema. More specifically yung sa confidential funds. Sinadya man o hindi, alam nila yung gagawin nila. Yun lang ang aking opinion tungkol dito. May mastery na siguro," he said. 

"You would assume na ganon. Kasi nga po mula pa sa LGU level hanggang dito sa national level list ma may certain form of mastery. Eh ang problema lang dun wala pong nag question," the lawmaker added.

Ortega stressed that should they indeed have "mastery" for their actions and followed the guidelines, it would be easier to explain and answer the allegations.

The lawmaker also noted the House would have considered a request for executive session by Duterte's office, should they asked for it during the hearings.

'WELCOME BACK'

Meantime, Ortega welcomed the return of the Vice President to the country after nearly a month of staying at The Hague to assist her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is facing alleged crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

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"Siyempre maganda nakabalik siya kasi nga paghahandaan na itong mga susunod na buwan. In terms of yung biyahe niya, personal trip naman kasi talaga yun at naiintindihan po namin. So welcome back po, ma'am," he said.

The lawmaker believes most of the questions on confidential funds will be answered during the impeachment trial of the Vice President. 

"Lalabas po sa trial natin yan... Ang sure lang ho natin, yung mga fictious names, baka hindi na nakatanggap yung mga yun. Baka pampadagdag na lang sa listahan at yung may records nga po. Hindi nga imposible. Baka doon po napunta yung bulk ng pera na questionable na di parin mapaliwanag ngayon," Ortega said.

Duterte has previously denied claims of misuse and said her legal team is ready to face the allegations against her. 

When asked if the confidential fund acknowledgement receipts will be presented during the impeachment trial, the lawmaker said he will leave it up to the prosecutors.

"Kung ako yung nandun sa lugar nila, that will form a big part of the, sa Article 2 mga ebidensya dun. Kasama po lahat yan, I’m sure. But ayoko pangunahan ating mga prosecutor," Ortega said.

According to the proposed timeline earlier shown by Senate President Francis Escudero, the impeachment trial will formally begin on July 30.

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