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Lawmakers question OVP’s P16M rental of safehouses for 11 days

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Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span data-teams="true" id="isPasted"><span dir="ltr"></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) — Congressmen questioned on Thursday the P16 million in confidential funds supposedly spent by the office of Vice President Sara Duterte on the rental of safehouses covering 11 days.</p><p>This is based on the 2022 accomplishment report the OVP submitted  to the Commission on Audit.</p><p>During the Thursday hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, COA audit team leader Gloria Camora said they received 34 acknowledgment receipts for the P16 million rental expenses, and that there is information indicating that each receipt represents one safe house. The amount in the receipts range from P250,000 to P1 million.</p><p>“‘Yung receipt amounting to P500,000 for the payment of rental of safe house, would it be logical for me to conclude that this is for one safe house for 11 days?” Committee Vice Chairperson Rep. Romeo Acop asked.</p><p>“Yes, Mr. Chair,” Camora replied.</p><p>“Ano po kayang klaseng safe house ito na P45,000 per day ang rental? Samantalang may ibang mga magagandang lugar e mas mura pa kesa rito sa P45,000? Could you give us an idea of that?” Acop inquired further.</p><p>“Mr. Chair, we do not have information on the safe houses,” Camora responded.</p><p>“They have submitted the liquidation reports po,” she added.</p><p>The COA admitted they have no way of validating the property or the owners of the rented safehouses, noting that the nature of the fund is confidential.</p><p>“You do not determine whether it&#x27;s reasonable or true?” Acop asked.</p><p>“Since it is compliance, we often do not,” Camora said.</p><p>Committee Chairperson Rep. Joel Chua observed that the rental cost for the safe houses is much higher than the rent for a condo unit in a high-end building and luxury resorts.</p><p>&quot;Hindi po ba kayo nagtaka na sobrang mahal no’n?...P90,000 a day? As compared to the luxury resort with complete amenities.  Much worse if the P1 million was spent in four days only […] P250,000 per day?” Chua asked.</p><p>“Wala po kaming information kung anong klaseng safehouse,” Camora maintained.</p><p>Manila 1st District Representative Ernesto Dionisio Jr. also asked why the OVP’s confidential expenses on safehouse rental remained at P16 million in the first and second quarters of 2023, even when the period covered is longer.</p><p>“Being an attorney and two years in the Audit Department of the Commission on Audit, regular po ba ‘yung ganoon, the same amount but different number of days?” he asked.</p><p>“Personally po, medyo steep nga po yun, lalo na po ‘yung sa 2022 since 11 days lang po siya,” Camora added.</p><div></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W7DIS_lj1h4??si=SLtvMzQhXEKwRLy5&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span data-teams="true" id="isPasted"><span dir="ltr"></span></span></div><p>P73 million of the OVP’s P125 million confidential funds in 2022 was disallowed by the COA mainly due to insufficient submission of documentary evidence. The OVP has 60 days from receipt to appeal the notice of disallowance.</p><p>Neither Duterte nor the invited officers from her office attended the Thursday hearing. But the Vice President previously denied there was misuse of public funds in the OVP, tagging the House investigation as a “well-funded and coordinated political attack” meant to dismantle her chances in the 2028 elections. House leaders denied this claim.</p><div><strong>‘UNNECESSARY’</strong></div><p>In a statement, the Office of the Vice President said the ongoing hearing by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is “unnecessary” because it is not done in aid of legislation.</p><p>“While the OVP recognizes the power of the Lower House to conduct such an inquiry “in aid of legislation,” the ongoing congressional probe, which stemmed from Privilege Speech No. 379 of the Hon. Rolando Valeriano last September 3, 2024, is not in aid of legislation,” it said.</p><p>“P.S. No. 379 as well as the motu proprio inquiry based on the manifestation of Hon. Gerville Luistro both lacks clear legislative objectives or contemplated legislation that is expected as an outcome of the deliberations,” it added.</p><p>The OVP also argued that it is cautious about discussing matters that are already pending before the Supreme Court House panel.</p><p>“If the House panel chaired by the Hon. Joel Chua continues to conduct its own inquiry of issues already pending before the Court, this will only create the possibility of conflict between the findings of a legislative committee and the judgment of a judicial tribunal,” it said.</p><p>“Such conflicts may unnecessarily create a CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS between the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court, which will only prejudice the stability of the nation’s democratic systems and the broader interests of the public we serve,” it added.</p><p>The OVP likewise said that as a government agency, it is regularly audited by the Commission on Audit, and there is no need for a congressional inquiry into its budget utilization and accomplishments.</p><p>“For the same reasons, the congressional inquiry into these matters under audit may also unnecessarily influence the proceedings before the Commission on Audit or create conflict between the lawmakers and the state auditors since COA is an INDEPENDENT CONSTITUTIONAL BODY vested with the primary jurisdiction over the matter, thus, on these premises alone, the inquiry should discontinue,” it said.</p><div><strong>PIMENTEL VS. DENSING</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, during the hearing, Surigao Del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel and former Education Secretary Epimaco Densing III engaged in a heated exchange, after Pimentel accused Densing of asking for kickbacks from congressmen for school building construction. Densing denied this.</p><p>“Gusto mo ipakita ko sa’yo ‘yung mga congressmen na hiningan mo?” Pimentel asked.</p><p>“Wala po akong nakausap,” Densing replied.</p><p>“You’re lying! And I can cite you for contempt!” Pimentel said.</p><p>This prompted the committee chair to temporarily suspend the hearing.</p><br/><div></div>

<p>Congressmen questioned on Thursday the P16 million in confidential funds supposedly spent by the office of Vice President Sara Duterte on the rental of safehouses covering 11 days, based on the 2022 accomplishment report it submitted to the Commission on Audit.</p>

Congressmen questioned on Thursday the P16 million in confidential funds supposedly spent by the office of Vice President Sara Duterte on the rental of safehouses covering 11 days, based on the 2022 accomplishment report it submitted to the Commission on Audit.