House panel to subpoena COA reports on OVP, DepEd confi funds

The House appropriations committee on Tuesday approved a motion to issue a subpoena on the audit reports of the Commission on Audit on the use of the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during fiscal year 2022 to 2023. 

"By virtue of the oversight power of the Committee on Appropriations, the motion to issue the subpoena duces tecum requiring COA to submit the audit report of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education on the use of the confidential funds for fiscal year 2022-2023, hearing no objections, the motion is carried, ” said Marikina Representative Stella Luz Quimbo, panel vice-chairperson, during the deliberations on the proposed COA 2025 budget.

It was ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro who first raised the motion after the COA confirmed it had already completed its audit actions and observations on the liquidation reports submitted by the OVP and DepEd, both helmed by Vice President Sara Duterte, during the fiscal period. 

The state auditor said a copy of the reports was forwarded to the Office of the President, Senate President, and House Speaker. 

“Mahalaga itong usapan ng confidential funds…Since hindi pupwedeng sabihin dito ang findings ng COA…May I therefore move to subpoena duces tecum, be issued to COA for this AOMs, o kung meron mang disallowances or suspension issued to the OVP and the DepEd,” said Castro. 

(The confidential funds is an important issue to talk about. Since we cannot say the findings here, ,ay I therefore move to subpoena duces tecum, be issued to COA for this AOMs, or any disallowances issued to the OVP and the DepEd.)

Representatives Arlene Brosas and Raoul Manuel supported the motion. 

In its 2022 Annual Audit Report, state auditors disclosed that the OVP had P125 million in confidential expenses last year despite not having an appropriation for intelligence or confidential funds under the 2022 General Appropriations Act. The OVP also received P500 million in confidential funds in 2023. 

GMA News Online sought comment from the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte and will post it as soon as available.

2025 proposed budget

Meanwhile, the COA proposed a P13.41 billion budget for 2025 under the National Expenditure Program, 5% lower than the initial P14.08 billion it originally pitched.

Of the figure, P754.44 million was allocated for MOOE, P111.76 million for capital outlay, and P11.50 billion for personnel services. 

The COA had a utilization rate of 52.11% to date this year. —LDF, GMA Integrated News