Many odd things still surprise me, but this one did not anymore. The ongoing congressional investigation into Vice President Sara Duterte’s controversial handling of her office’s confidential funds continues to bring shocking revelations. Who would still be surprised by the latest twist in this gripping saga?

The disclosure from the Philippine Statistics Office raises significant concerns, particularly regarding the sensitive nature of these funds, the ambiguity regarding the recipients’ names, and the potential implications of their misuse on overall accounting. It is not just a matter of financial mismanagement but a possible threat to the integrity of the economic system.

You are naive to believe that a “Mary Grace Piattos” exists when the PSA has confirmed that the name does not appear in its database. There are no records of her birth, marriage, or death. Yet, she was listed as one of the recipients of a significant portion of the confidential funds from Duterte’s office in 2022. Someone who lacks ingenuity but is full of stupidity derived this fictitious name from a local restaurant and a brand of potato chips, thinking they could get away with it.

Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande previously stated that the agency was unable to find any record of a “Kokoy Villamin,” a name that appeared in multiple annual reports of both the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), but the signatures were different.

During Monday’s continuation of the House hearing on the misuse of confidential funds by the OVP, it was again revealed that more than half of the 677 alleged recipients of millions of pesos in confidential funds, which originated from the OVP and the DepEd — where the Vice President had a brief tenure as education secretary — did not have proof of birth.

Rep. Joel Chua, the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chair, disclosed that he received a copy of the PSA findings over the weekend. The report confirmed that 405 individuals did not have birth records in the agency’s database, while more than 200 individuals had names that matched those in the database.

The PSA’s findings further fueled suspicions the Acknowledgement Receipts (ARs) were likely fabricated and hastily submitted to the CoA to justify the spending of the confidential funds.

Chua has written to PSA to verify the civil registry of over 1,992 names found in the ARs for the OVP’s confidential funds expenditures.

Sara Duterte is under intense scrutiny amid allegations of irregularities in her use of P650 million in confidential funds, which were allegedly supported by fictitious ARs. The rigorous House probe resulted in two impeachment complaints against the VP.

Duterte has consistently denied allegations of corruption and fund misuse, stating that the House investigation is politically motivated and intended to undermine her ahead of the 2028 presidential election, in which she believes she is the leading candidate. Already, two complaints for impeachment have been lodged against her before the House of Representatives.

Persistent questions about who benefitted from these confidential allocations only fuel public distrust and skepticism about the OVP’s financial practices.

The existence of ghost recipients receiving government funds raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability in government financial practices. If fake accounts or individuals obtained these funds, it could suggest mismanagement, corruption, or potential fraud.

Allegations of misconduct could have far-reaching implications for the political landscape, especially as the nation approaches the critical midterm elections scheduled for May 2025.

The potential exposure of these financial issues could influence public perception, sparking discussions about transparency and accountability in economic governance. As the election date approaches, scrutiny of these financial practices may increase, leading to shifts in political allegiance and participation rates among voters.

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