Office of Vice President P125 million in confidential funds in 11 days during 2022: solon
The Office of the Vice President spent P125 million worth of confidential funds in 2022 in just 11 days, a member of the House Appropriations panel revealed on Monday, citing reports from the Commission on Audit (COA).
House Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said this during the plenary debates on the COA’s proposed budget for 2024.
“The truth is, I was also shocked when I read reports about them (OVP) spending the money in 19 days and I asked COA and looked at various reports. However, it was not spent in 19 days but in 11 days,” Quimbo said.
Duterte is requesting P500 million in confidential funds to be allocated to her office for next year.
Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas, who was surprised by the revelation, asked: “It’s hard to comprehend that if that is for surveillance, how many reward payments have been made to spend P11 million per day? Did the OVP submit a liquidation report to the Office of the President, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House?”
Quimbo, who also sponsors COA’s budget, said the agency submitted its liquidation report on January 17 but is still continuing its auditing process.
“I learned that COA was able to give their preliminary observation on the OVP. Consequently, they have issued their audit observation memorandum,” she said.
Quimbo said the agency released an audit observation memorandum (AOM) on September 18.
“Audit is still ongoing and AOMs are preliminary findings and have a confidential nature but we can say that AoM conveys a request for additional documents,” she said.
For his part, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said that the transfer of funds from the Office of the President to the OVP was “unconstitutional”.
“The constitution prohibits the transfer of funds except with respect to constitutional officers, like the President, relative to savings or augmentation of allocation which are deficient in his office. Not in any other office. Consequently, it is unconstitutional for one office to another,” Lagman said.
Quimbo earlier during her opening speech pushed for the creation of a special oversight committee focusing on confidential and intelligence funds so lawmakers can monitor if they are spent properly.
Senator Risa Hontiveros criticized Duterte for spending confidential funds in such a short span of time.
“What kind of magic did you use to be able to spend P125 million in 11 days? That’s not just a spending spree, that’s being disrespectful to the public,” Hontiveros said in a video statement released Tuesday.
“That’s so rude. You spent P11 million every day? You’re worse than someone who has a hidden credit card in the national budget. That’s not your money,” she added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
