Ridon: Signing fund papers not a ‘ministerial’ defense

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon on Tuesday said the signing of disbursement documents for confidential funds is not a mere ministerial act and cannot be used as a defense in the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Speaking during the House Committee on Justice deliberations, Ridon said officials have faced prosecution for simply signing financial documents.

“People are in the Sandiganbayan today because they had signed disbursement financial documents. So saying that it is ministerial is not an actual defense,” said Ridon, who chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts and is a member of the Justice panel.

The committee continued its deliberation on the first ground of the third impeachment complaint against Duterte, which alleges the amassing and conversion of ₱500 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President for fiscal years 2022 and 2023.

Ridon emphasized that Commission on Audit findings, including Audit Observation Memoranda and Notices of Disallowance, form part of the evidentiary basis of the complaint.

“The documents contained in AOMs and NDs are also the body of evidence which constitutes the basis for the proceedings that we have today,” he said.

He was responding to arguments raised by Quezon City Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay, who claimed that signing disbursement documents is ministerial and that COA findings are appealable.

Ridon maintained that impeachment proceedings are separate from COA’s administrative processes.

“Impeachment proceedings operate separately and independently of administrative proceedings of the Commission on Audit,” he said.

“So the statement that AOMs and even NDs are essentially appealable cannot prevent impeachment proceedings to occur and proceed as it should,” he added.

Ridon also questioned the reported use of confidential funds for activities outside their intended scope, including alleged team-building activities and other expenditures.

On the rental of so-called “safe houses,” he cited congressional records showing that about ₱16 million was spent, including roughly ₱500,000 over 11 days, or about ₱1.36 million per month.

“And the question therefore: saan po iyong mga safe houses na ito?” he asked.

“If we are talking about P1.3 million a month in rental of property, these safe houses should be in Forbes Park. These safe houses should be in Dasmariñas Village. These safe houses should be in the most expensive condominiums in Bonifacio Global City,” Ridon said.

“’Pag wala ho ’yun doon mga kaibigan, parang hindi ho tama rin ’yung sinasabing paggamit ng confidential funds,” he added.