Ex-DepEd official bares extra money; Duterte bucks claim

Metro Manila, Philippines — A former official of the Department of Education (DepEd) told lawmakers on Wednesday she received money on top of her salary, a claim that Vice President Sara Duterte denied.

At the House committee on good government and public accountability hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 25, former Undersecretary Gloria Mercado said she was handed nine envelopes when she was head of procurement.

She said she did not open the envelopes until she left the agency. Each envelope contained P50,000.

Mercado said she tried to return them but she was not given a chance for an exit call. She donated it instead to a non-government organization.

“These envelopes were handed to me monthly by Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda, which she says came directly from the office of Vice President Sara Duterte,” Mercado said.

On the other hand, Duterte, in a press conference, said Mercado was removed from the agency due to “loss of trust and confidence” by misrepresentation.

She said Mercado solicited P16 million from a company using her name without authorization.

Computerization program procurement

Mercado also shared that a bidding failure for the computerization program was looming last year.

She said then DepEd Assistant Secretary Reynold Munsayac told them to just talk the budget through. Mercado said she asserted to follow procurement rules.

Mercado said this may be the reason Zuleika Lopez, Duterte’s chief-of-staff, asked her to resign.

“The timing of my meeting with Ms. Zuleika struck me as more than coincidental. It gave me the impression that my candid response to Atty. Munsayac's suggestion was the real reason behind the push to relieve me of my office,” said Mercado.

Munsayac, however, denied issuing such an instruction.

“Ang naaalala ko po diyan, si Resty po kausap ko, sabi ko, “Ano ang plano n’yo diyan? Kasi kung itutuloy n’yo ‘yung post-qualification, magla-lapse ‘yan. Hindi na aabot ‘yan sa December 2023. So, mag-decide na kayo kung ire-remit n’yo ‘yan kasi kung ire-remit n’yo ‘yan, hindi masasayang ang pondo,” he said.

[Translation: What I remember is that I said, “What is your plan? If you push through with the post-qualification, it will lapse. It would not reach December 2023. So, decide if you would remit it so the fund will not be wasted.]

Mercado was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. upon the recommendation of Duterte.

Duterte resigned as education secretary in July.