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Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio gestures during a press briefing at the Cybergate building in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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Lawmakers see alleged “highly irregular” practices in disbursement of OVP, DepEd confi funds

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1732621319899172725739191120240925-sara-duterte-presscon-JC-9840.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio gestures during a press briefing in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Lawmakers flagged alleged “highly irregular” practices in the disbursement of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education under Vice President Sara Duterte.  </p><p>On Monday, former DepEd Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda and OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta told the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability that instead of releasing the confidential funds directly to individuals, who signed the acknowledgment receipts, they were allegedly instructed by Duterte to give it to two security officers, who supposedly managed the funds.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/25/ovp-deped-disbursing-officers-admit-releasing-funds-on-sara-duterte-s-orders-0014">READ: OVP, DepEd disbursing officers admit releasing funds on Sara Duterte’s orders</a></div><p>“It is highly irregular, in the sense na hindi ‘yun ang accountable officer. Doon palang malinaw na mayroong paglabag. Inamin naman po mismo ng ating mga SDO na ‘yun ay utos ng ating Bise Presidente,” House Assistant Majority Leader Raul Bongalon said.</p><p> 1-RIDER Party List Rep. Rodge Gutierrez added that officials involved in the practice could be held liable.</p><p>“Dahil hindi sumunod sa strict procedures, I believe this is technical malversation. But worse, if this was taken for personal gain if it is proven na fictitious at erroneous ‘yung ARs (acknowledgment receipts) to justify the taking of this amount, that could be malversation, or worse plunder kasi lagpas na po ito sa P50 million,” he explained.</p><p>“Sa huli, it is command responsibility, at talagang nakikita natin na lahat sila ay sumusunod lang sa utos ng ating Bise Presidente… Kung may makitang kailangan may managot, kailangan akuin ng ating bise presidente ang pananagutan dito sa pagkukulang,” House Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/25/vp-sara-duterte-finally-attends-house-probe-into-her-confidential-fund-use-1213">VP Sara Duterte finally takes truth oath in House panel inquiry into confidential funds</a></div><p> Duterte previously denied there was misuse of confidential funds in her office.</p><div> <strong>OVP OFFICIALS AT THE VMMC</strong></div><p> Meantime, the committee will not insist on transferring OVP Chief of Staff Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez to a prison facility that may not be equipped to handle medical emergencies, according to chairperson Joel Chua.</p><p> He expressed hopes Lopez and Acosta, who are both confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, could attend the resumption of the committee hearing on Friday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/24/vp-sara-duterte-s-aide-zuleika-lopez-doing-okay-dela-rosa-0650">VP Sara Duterte’s aide Zuleika Lopez doing ‘okay’: Dela Rosa</a></div><p> “Depende sa medical condition ni Atty. Lopez. Mahirap naman na ipilit natin na ilipat siya sa ibang prison facility na hindi naman equipped para tingnan ‘yung kanyang medical condition. (12:00) Sa ngayon wala namang pinag-uusapan na mailipat siya agad,” Chua said.</p><p> “Magpagaling sila. We wish them well, para makabalik na sila at masagot na nila ang mga tanong na importante sa komite. The truth will set you free. Nakakagaan ng pakiramdam ang pagsasabi ng katotohanan,” house Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega added. </p><p>“Nakakatanggal ng sakit ang pagsasabi ng totoo,” Khonghun noted. </p><p>Congressmen also defended the committee’s order to transfer Lopez to a prison in Mandaluyong City last Friday, following Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s comments criticizing it. </p><p>The order stemmed from a supposed breach of House security protocols, when Vice President Duterte insisted on staying overnight within the House premises last Thursday while her chief of staff was detained there.</p><p>“It just so happened na nagkaroon lang po talaga ng security breach. Napakahirap po talaga na may VIP na nandirito, at hindi naman po talaga kakayanin din ng ating security at facility na i-secure ang pangalawang pinakamataas na opisyal ng ating bansa,” Chua said. </p><p>“The power of contempt is residual, it is innate with Congress and it has been protected many times by the Supreme Court. Our exercise, by the House, through the committee, is valid, and it is in line with previous precedent… Although we do have a detention center in the house, it’s not properly equipped sometimes, given certain circumstances,” Gutierrez added. </p><p>“We will take the remarks ng dating Pangulo as customer feedback. Siguro kailangan po nating dadagdagan pa ang detention facilities natin,” Ortega noted.</p>

<p>Lawmakers flagged alleged “highly irregular” practices in the disbursement of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education under Vice President Sara Duterte.</p>

Lawmakers flagged alleged “highly irregular” practices in the disbursement of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education under Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lawmakers see 'highly irregular' practices in OVP, DepEd confidential funds under Sara Duterte

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Lawmakers see 'highly irregular' practices in OVP, DepEd confidential funds under Sara Duterte

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 26, 2024 07:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Office of the Vice President

Department of Education

OVP

DepEd

Sara Duterte

Zuleika Lopez

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