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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Duterte explains 2022 confidential funds use

VP Duterte explains 2022 confidential funds use

Published Aug 30, 2023 07:38 am

“There was nothing irregular or unauthorized” on the use of the 2022 confidential funds (CF) as the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has already complied with the required accomplishment reports for them, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

VPSD_Castro2.jpg(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro (Photos from OVP/Rep. Castro's Facebook page)

The official, who was present during the budget deliberation for the OVP’s P2.3-billion proposed budget for 2024 at the House of Representatives, claimed that there were no irregularities in the confidential funds used despite there being no allocation for it in the OVP’s 2022 budget under former vice president Leni Robredo.

“For the 2022 CF in the amount of P125 million, the OVP has already planned and identified events, activities, and projects to be covered by the CF as early as August,” Duterte said in a statement.

“There was nothing irregular or unauthorized about its spending and the required liquidation and accomplishment reports have been submitted to the oversight agencies,” she added.

The issue on the use of the confidential funds was raised by the Makabayan bloc after ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro earlier asked the Commission on Audit (COA) about it during the deliberations on COA’s proposed budget for 2024.

On Monday, Castro alleged that the OVP spent its P125 confidential funds for 2022 in just 19 days.

The Vice President, in her statement, lambasted the Makabayan bloc.

“We urge the Makabayan bloc to end its rabid vilification of OVP over the 2022 CF if it doesn’t have any substantive information to back up imputations of misuse,” she said.

“These incessant malicious attacks betray the Makabayan bloc’s lack of respect for the Filipinos being served by OVP and their inability to appreciate OVP’s involvement in the fight against insurgency, terrorism, and social inequality,” she added.

The OVP’s budget for 2024 with P500 million in confidential fund was approved also on Wednesday by the House appropriations committee in under 20 minutes in respect of the traditional parliamentary courtesy accorded to high-ranking officials.

Related Tags

OVP budget hearing Confidential funds VP Sara Duterte FRANCE CASTRO Makabayan bloc
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