Vice President Sara Duterte (Noel Pabalate/ MANILA BULLETIN)

House Deputy Majority Leader La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega has revealed celebrity and historical-sounding names from Vice President Sara Duterte's list of confidential funds recipients, which supposedly further strengthens allegations that millions worth of the public's money have been misused.

Ortega, in a statement Sunday, April 6, said the new names include Honeylet Camille Sy, Feonna Biong, Feonna Villegas, Fiona Ranitez, Ellen Magellan, Erwin Q. Ewan, Gary Tanada, and Joel Linangan.

Honeylet Camille Sy, Feonna Biong, Feonna Villegas, and Joel Linangan were listed as alleged beneficiaries of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) P500-million confidential funds while Fiona Ranitez, Erwin Q. Ewan, Ellen Magellan, Gary Tanada purportedly received portion of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) P112.5-million confidential funds. 

The names closely resemble those of known figures in the Philippines' past and present.

The impeached Vice President Duterte served as DepEd secretary for two years until July 2024, following her falling out with President Marcos. Ortega said the latest names were submitted by Duterte to the Commission on Audit (COA).

He says the recurrence of such stylized or playful names contributes to growing public suspicion that aliases were intentionally inserted in liquidation reports.

“Hindi nakakatawa ang paulit-ulit na paggamit ng mga pekeng pangalan na parang hinugot mula sa sine at showbiz (The repeated use of fake names that sounds like they were pulled out of movies and showbiz isn't funny),” Ortega said.

The "Young Gun" bloc member said the dubious nature of names no longer appear coincidental, and may point to a supposed systemic attempt to hide transactions involving confidential funds.

“Public funds ang pinag-uusapan. Kung wala silang maipakitang ebidensya na tunay ang mga taong ito, ito mismo ang magiging matibay na ebidensya laban sa kanya sa impeachment trial,” Ortega added.

(We're talking about public funds here. If they can't show any evidence to prove that these are real people, then these will become strong evidence against her in the impeachment trial.)

Like previously flagged entries, Ortega said the new batch of names did not appear in any official birth, marriage, and death records from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 

Last year, the alleged confidential fund beneficiary Mary Grace Piattos grabbed headlines due to what House members described as the blatant fakeness of the name.

Ortega has since revealed more such names from OVP and DepEd lists. These include Pia Piatos-Lim, Renan Piatos, Xiaome Ocho, Jay Kamote, Miggy Mango, Amoy Liu, Fernan Amuy, Joug De Asim, and five individuals all named Dodong.

Ortega warned that any use of fictitious names must comply with the documentation requirements outlined in Joint Circular 2015-01, which governs the handling of confidential and intelligence funds.

Under the circular, agencies must maintain sealed logs linking aliases to real, verifiable identities, to prevent fraudulent use of public funds. Failing to do so could constitute misuse of state resources.

Former COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza had previously explained in media interviews that aliases alone are insufficient to justify fund disbursements. She clarified that clear and traceable documentation must exist linking these names to actual beneficiaries.

“Sadly or disappointingly, ayaw naman magpaliwanag ni VP Sara (VP Sara doesn't want to explain),” Ortega said.

Vice President Duterte is in the Netherlands. Her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, is being detained and tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity in connection with his administration’s bloody war on drugs. 

The lady official's Senate impeachment trial is expected to begin after President Marcos' fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.