Ex-DepEd officer says P4M to P6M in confidential funds released weekly to 'security officer'

The special disbursement officer of the Department of Education under Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday told the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability that he released P4 million to P6 million a week in confidential funds to a "security officer" designated by a colonel in the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group.

At the continuation of the House inquiry on the disbursement of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education under Vice President Sara Duterte, Fajarda said the DepEd in 2023 used P112.5 million worth of confidential funds.

He told the committee he would withdraw P37.5 million from the Land Bank of the Philippines branch at the DepEd and released the funds in weekly tranches to Colonel Dennis Nolasco.

Nolasco, he said, was the security officer designated by a certain Colonel Lachica of the Vice Presidential Security Group.

“Sa security officer lang po ako nagdi-disburse niyan. Wala na pong iba. Hindi po ‘yan buong P37.5 million na ibibigay sa kanya. Mostly weekly po yan. Weekly po. Nagre-range po sa P4 million to P6 million weekly,” Fajarda said.

(I only disbursed to the security officer, no one else. It's done weekly. The releases range from P4 million to P6 million.)

Asked for details on how the confidential fund was spent, Fajarda said it was Nolasco who disbursed the confidential funds.

“Hindi po kasi ako ang expert dyan. Si Colonel Nolasco po. Siya po kasi ang gumawa niyan. Siya po kasi ang gumawa niyan,” Fajarda said.

(I'm not an expert in that area. It was Colonel Nolasco. He's the one in charge.) —NB, GMA Integrated News