Misused of 'secret funds' an impeachable offense — Castro

Vice President Sara Duterte's "misused" of her contentious P125 million confidential funds in 2022, of which over P73 million was disallowed by the Commission on Audit (CoA), is enough ground for her impeachment, a House leader said Friday. 

The CoA has ordered the OVP to return P73.287 million of the P125 million "secret" expenses it spent in 11 days since it was disallowed.

Based on the CoA's notice of disallowance, the OVP spent P69.8 million on reward payments, of which P10 million was in the form of cash, P34.857 million on various goods, and P24.93 million worth of medicines.

The CoA flagged the spending due to the absence of "documents evidencing the success of information gathering and/or surveillance activities" to support the said rewards.

The remaining P3.5 million was used to pay for chairs, desktop computers, and printers, with the OVP failing to specify that said funds were intended for confidential operations or activities.

"It's becoming apparent that Duterte was banking on the supposed veil of secrecy around confidential funds to hide her unlawful use of people's money," House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro stressed. 

"This is a clear betrayal of public trust," she added, noting that confidential funds should be scrapped as it is prone to corruption.

CoA Assistant Commissioner Alexander Juliano told lawmakers during the OVP's budget hearing on Tuesday that a notice of disallowance is issued when the expenditure is either "irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant, or unconscionable."

Members of the House Committee on Appropriations took turns questioning Duterte on how she utilized the secret funds, which she persistently refused to answer, later leading to a heated exchange.

She maintained that the issue of confidential funds had nothing to do with the proposed 2025 budget and that she no longer requested such.

"Her stonewalling on legitimate questions from members of the House regarding her use of public funds showed utter disrespect for the basic principles of check-and-balance, transparency, and accountability of public officials entrusted with the people's money, all of which are enshrined in the Constitution that she swore to uphold," Castro lamented.

OVP spokesperson Michael Poa disclosed that they are set to file an appeal on the notice of disallowance, which he pointed out is "not yet considered final."

"We are now preparing to appeal our so-called disallowance. It only shows that the OVP is cooperating with the ongoing audit," he said in an interview on Thursday.

Castro, however, contended that Duterte must be held liable for her supposed wrongdoings.

"Her misuse of confidential funds is an impeachable offense," she lamented.

Castro added, "With the embezzlement of confidential funds, at a time when funds for public services are scarce, and with the refusal to explain this to the people, the impeachment is clearly grounded."

Rumors about Duterte's impeachment first circulated in mid-2023 at the height of the "irregular" transfer of the subject P125 million secret funds.

The P125 million was part of the P221.42 million contingent fund of the Office of the President transferred to Duterte's office as secret funds in 2022, which opposition lawmakers earlier claimed was unconstitutional since there was no line item for such in the 2022 General Appropriations Act.