OVP spent P125M in 11 days? Risa says PCG confi funds at P117M over 17 years

Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday asked the Office of the Vice President how it spent P125 million in confidential funds in 11 days in 2022 saying the Philippine Coast Guard had only P117 million in such funds spread over 17 years.

Hontiveros issued the statement after the Commission on Audit during the deliberation of its proposed budget for 2024 said through its sponsor Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo that the OVP spent the confidential funds in 11 days, not 19 as earlier reported.

"'Yung ating Coast Guard sa West Philippine Sea, araw-araw binabantayan ang sumpong ng China. Seventeen years pinagkasya ang P117 million na confidential funds. Ang OVP, hindi man lang umabot sa dalawang linggo," Hontiveros said.

(Our Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea monitors China's tantrums every day. It made do with P117 million in confidential funds for 17 years. For the OVP, it didn't even last two weeks.)

GMA News Online has sought comment from the office of Vice President Sara Duterte regarding news of the confidential funds getting spent in just 11 days in 2022.

The OVP said the issue would be answered when its proposed P2.3-billion budget for 2024 is discussed in the House plenary. The allocation includes a proposed P500 million for confidential funds.

Commodore Jay Tarriela on X said there was more than P117 million in intelligence funds that have been allocated to the PCG since 2006.

He showed there was P118.7 million in intelligence funds allocated to the agency over the period 2006 to 2023, including P10 million annually from 2013 to 2023.

I would like to update and provide the accurate information regarding the @coastguardph intelligence fund since 2006. The total amount of the confidential and intelligence funds that the PCG received for the past 17 years is 118.7 million pesos, not 117 million pesos as… pic.twitter.com/HMkTAFXgqj

— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) September 26, 2023

"What can VP Sara show for it? Nag-mass hiring ba ang OVP ng libo-libong informant sa loob lang ng 11 na araw? Nagpatayo ba sila ng daan-daang safehouse sa loob lamang ng 11 na araw?" Hontiveros said as regards the P125 million released to the OVP in late 2022.

(What can VP Sara show for it? Did the OVP hire thousands of informants in just 11 days?)

"Babalik lang tayo sa paulit-ulit na tanong: Saan niyo dinala ang pera? Naghihintay ng resibo ang buong Pilipinas," Hontiveros said.

(We go back to the question. How did you spend the funds? The whole Philippines is waiting for its receipt.) —Llanesca T. Panti, Hana Bordey, and Giselle Ombay/NB, GMA Integrated News