VP Sara's office spent P16M in confidential funds for safe houses in 2022

The office of Vice President Sara Duterte spent P16 million of its P125 million confidential funds in 2022 for payment of safe houses for 11 days, according to the OVP accomplishment report.

The OVP report on its P125 million confidential fund in 2022 was presented by the Commission on Audit during the investigation of the House good government and public accountability committee on OVP’s budget use Thursday.

Lawyer Gloria Camora of COA’s Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office confirmed that the OVP made the P16 million payment as can be seen in 34 acknowledgement receipts it submitted covering the dates December 21 to 31.

Antipolo Representative Romeo Acop, a retired police official, pointed out that one of the receipts showed a P500,000 payment for a safe house.

Camora said this could mean that the OVP spent around P45,000 per day for a safehouse.

“It would amount to P45,454.55 per day,” she said.

Acop was bewildered and asked Camora of the details of such a safe house to warrant a huge amount for rental, but COA did not have further information.

“We do not have information on the safe houses,” Camora added.

The P125 million confidential fund of the OVP was not provided under the 2022 national budget, but was released by the Department of Budget and Management from the contingent fund of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. 

Asked if the P16 million spending for safe houses is justified, the OVP referred GMA News Online to its position paper on the ongoing House inquiry which stated that the House investigation is not in aid of legislation.

“It becomes completely unnecessary for the Committee to belabor and pursue a legislative inquiry into the budget utilization and accomplishment of the Office because the data has already been provided during the budget deliberations in the Committee on Appropriations, and that further information needed may be verified through the COA,” the OVP said.

“The absence of any legislative objective or outcome and the lack of clarity in the rules as to jurisdiction and power of the Committee, does not satisfy the requirements enshrined in Article VI, Section 21 of the Constitution on inquiries in aid of legislation. We therefore respectfully request the Committee to terminate its inquiry on the matter,” it added.

P37M for safe houses in 2023

During the same hearing, COA’s Camora also submitted to the House panel the OVP’s accomplishment report for its confidential fund use in 2023 which shows that Vice President Duterte’s office spent P37 million for the payment of safe houses. The break down is:

• P16 million for 1st quarter (53 days)
• P16 million for 2nd quarter (67 days) and
• P5 million for 3rd quarter (79 days)

This prompted Manila lawmaker Ernesto Dionisio of Manila to ask the COA official if this kind of spending sparked suspicion among state auditors.

“Isn’t it not suspicious or do you find it regular?,” Dionisio asked.

Camora replied, “Personally, I find it medyo steep po siya, considering nga na 11 days lang po [noong 2022].”

Dionisio asked Camora the same question regarding the OVP’s 2023 use of its confidential fund on safe houses to the tune of P37 million in three quarters.

Camora repeated that the amount was “slightly steep”.

Acop and Dionisio said the 2015 joint circular of government agencies on confidential fund use should be amended since the circular only requires documentation on expenditure that are not necessarily factual.

“There has to be a new law that we have to  make to be able to check [the veracity of submitted documents] so that we can better protect the funds of the people,” Dionisio said. —AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News