COA disallows over P73 Million in OVP 2022 confidential funds

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Commission on Audit had issued a Notice of Disallowance for the P73 million in confidential funds disbursed by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in 2022, lawmakers said on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

This was revealed during the House appropriations committee hearing on the proposed 2025 budget of Duterte’s office.

Documents obtained by NewsWatch Plus showed that a total of P73,287,000 was “disallowed in audit” over a number of factors, including the non-submission of requirements proving the success of information gathering and surveillance activities.

The COA report also showed that the office did not submit a revised accomplishment report to the Office of the President, Senate president, and House speaker as required by the rules.

ACT Teacher’s party-list Rep. France Castro, who first introduced the matter on the notice of disallowance, asked Duterte to confirm whether the documents are true.

The vice president refused to directly answer the question, and instead shifted topics.

“I do not understand. Bakit a person convicted of child abuse is sitting in a seat of the House of Representatives,” said Duterte referring to Castro.

[Translation: I do not understand. Why is someone convicted child of abuse sitting in a seat of the House of Representatives]

Duterte’s comments were in relation with the lawmaker’s conviction in July over supposedly abducting Lumad minors in 2018 - a decision under appeal.

This sparked tensions between lawmakers and Duterte, saying the panel shouldn’t let the vice president go on with such demeanor.

“Hindi puwede ‘yong tactics na… sorry for the pusit na kapag nasusukol na [ay] (naglalabas) ng maitim na tinta… so huwag namang mag-ugaling pusit ang OVP,” Castro said.

[Translation: That tactic is not acceptable… sorry for the reference to squid, but when cornered, it squirts out black ink... so the OVP (Office of the Vice President) shouldn't behave like a squid.]

Lawmakers then voted to strike out from the records mentions of Castro’s conviction and “squid” remarks on the budget inquiry.

Same script

Throughout the hearing, a number of lawmakers tried to dig more into Duterte's use of confidential funds in 2022 but the vice president had only one thing to say.

“On the issue of confidential funds, we have received audit actions from COA regarding confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President. We submitted our responses and we assure the public of our full cooperation with the ongoing and unfinished audit,” she repeatedly said.

Even before the inquiry began, Duterte said “she will forgo the opportunity” to defend the budget. But Rep. Stella Quimbo, committee vice-chairperson, refused to accept the vice president’s request and proceeded with the usual inquiries.

Duterte also lamented why some House members continue to press on her use of confidential funds in 2022 when the hearing is about the proposed budget for 2025.

But when Manila 6th District. Rep. Benny Abante asked whether the House has the right to scrutinize the 2025 budget of any agency - the vice president just repeated her line not just to Abante but to others as well.

“I will forego the opportunity to defend the OVP 2025 budget proposal by question and answer and I will leave it to the House of Representatives to decide on the proposal,” she said.

The committee suspended hearings on the OVP budget until Sept. 10.

Deliberations on the OVP budget in recent history - even with estranged political ties between administration allies and the vice president - have been generally smooth out of courtesy for a co-equal branch.