‘Dismissal of P276M Marcos ill-gotten wealth case an injustice’

October 11, 2024

A MILITANT lawmaker yesterday assailed the Sandiganbayan’s decision to dismiss the P276-million ill-gotten wealth case against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife, former first Lady Imelda Marcos, saying it is another injustice to the Filipino people.

“We express our profound dismay over the recent dismissal by the Sandiganbayan of the P276-million ill-gotten wealth case against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Imelda Marcos, and their crony Roman Cruz. This decision is a grave injustice to the Filipino people who continue to bear the brunt of the long-standing plunder and corruption that characterized the Marcos regime,” said Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela).

Brosas, a member of the militant Makabayan bloc, said the ruling, which absolves the accused of accountability, “is a glaring reminder of the enduring inequities in our justice system.”

“It also serves to embolden those who wish to rewrite history and erase the atrocities committed during the Marcos era,” she said.

“We reject this decision as it stands as an affront to the efforts of those who have tirelessly worked to expose and rectify the injustices committed against the Filipino people. Nananawagan kami sa mga Pilipino na labanan ang anumang pagtatangka na linisin ang madilim na kabanata ng ating nakaraan (We call on the Filipino people to fight any attempt to revise our dark past),” she added.

In a 30-page resolution dated October 4, 2024, the Sandiganbayan special anti-graft court granted the motion filed by President Marcos Jr. and her mother Imelda on behalf of the Marcos estate seeking dismissal of a 37-year-old ill-gotten wealth case.

Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg penned the resolution which upheld the argument of the Marcos widow that there was a violation of her right to speedy disposition of cases due to the lengthy delay in the progress of Civil Case No. 0006.

The case, originally filed by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) on July 21, 1987, named the Marcos couple and Cruz, who served as former president of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the Philippine Airlines, and the Manila Hotel.

The PCGG sought the forfeiture of real estate properties valued at least P276.69 million, including two lots and two condominium units in Baguio City, a residential building in Makati City, a parcel of land and six condominium units in California, USA, and a residential lot in the city of Manila.

It also asked the court for award of P50 billion in moral damages and P1 billion in exemplary damages.

The Marcos couple was declared in default in 1989 for failing to file their answer to the lawsuit, but this was set aside in 1992 after the court granted Mrs. Marcos’ request to be given a chance to contest the allegations.

All the defendants filed their pre-trial briefs in September 1995 and Mrs. Marcos asked for P20 billion moral and exemplary damages and P10 million in attorney’s fees.

Mrs. Marcos said because of the disinterest shown by government lawyers in pursuing the case, their right to a fair trial has been prejudiced since many of the witnesses they could have called to testify in their defense are no longer around while documents may no longer be located. She added that her health has already declined affecting her ability to testify in her own defense.

Government lawyers did not oppose the defendants’ motion, noting that “there are no more allegations against the Estate of the late Ferdinand Marcos” since the PCGG case against the Estate had already been excluded as of October 12, 2012, citing the lack of definitive information on the allegation that Marcos used Cruz as a dummy or why he is perceived as such.

Misuse of PNP diplomatic pouch system?

Wendell Vigilia

October 7, 2024

LAWMAKERS will try to determine the source of the millions of funds that former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma sent to her ex-husband, Col. Roland Vilela, while he was serving as a police attaché at the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, California between 2020 and 2022.

The House quad committee would likewise investigate if Garma misused diplomatic channels to send the money to Vilela.

These are among the questions that the joint committee aims to answer when it resumes its hearings on the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) that occurred in relation to the implementation of the Duterte administration’s brutal war on drugs.

During the committee’s September 27 hearing, new details emerged about Garma’s alleged misuse of diplomatic channels to send millions of pesos to Vilela.

Quad committee overall chairperson Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has earlier said it was puzzling how Garma, a retired police colonel who is known to be close to former President Rodrigo Duterte, sent millions of pesos, converted to dollars, to her ex-husband in the United States using the PNP’s diplomatic pouch system.

The revelations suggest a possible misuse of government resources, specifically the PNP’s diplomatic pouches intended for official communications and attaché salaries, with PNP officials admitting that such channels may have been exploited for personal financial gain.

Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop’s questioning of former and current PNP officials, including then chief of the Directorate for Intelligence and later PNP chief Benjamin Acorda Jr., revealed the possibility that the PNP’s diplomatic pouch system was used to funnel “personal” funds to Garma’s ex-husband.

Acorda told the quad committee that police attaché salaries and Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) were regularly sent through the channels, “especially if there are some special occasions or visits and additional expenses that are incurred by our police attachés.”

When asked by Acop if the payment channels could be used for personal transfers, Acorda hesitantly responded, “Yes, Your Honor, to my understanding.”

Vilela has told the joint panels that he received his P120,000 monthly salary in the Philippines, in addition to the $8,000 he earned as a police attaché through the system.

Police Captain Delfinito Anuba, Vilela’s errand man who was responsible for converting pesos into dollars and sending them to Vilela in the United States, confirmed that Vilela instructed him to convert large sums into US dollars and send them via diplomatic channels.

When asked if he had converted pesos to dollars, Anuba confirmed, “Yes, Sir,” and detailed the process, narrating that he collected the funds from Garma’s security team, specifically Sergeant Enecito Ubales Jr., who is a first cousin of Garma.

Anuba revealed that he converted P30 million and P20 million into dollars on two occasions but admitted changing smaller amounts more frequently.

The panel has cited Ubales in contempt and ordered that he be detained at the Quezon City Jail after he denied his involvement.

“Mas paniniwalaan ko ito. Sinungaling ka rin, e (I’d believe Anuba more. You’re also a liar),” Acop told Ubales.

The panel has been investigating Garma, who is allegedly linked to the Davao Death Squad (DDS), for her ties to the former president, especially since she worked closely with him during his time as Davao City mayor, particularly when she was with the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) where she played a key role in anti-illegal drug operations.

Lawmakers have also learned that Duterte’s long-time aide, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, facilitated Garma’s application for the PCSO post in 2019 which she held until 2022.

Last week, Barbers urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to immediately file murder charges against Garma and Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) for the 2020 killing of retired police Gen. Wesley Barayuga, then a PCSO board secretary.

At least four witnesses have also accused Garma of relaying Duterte’s alleged orders to kill three suspected Chinese drug lords at a Davao prison in 2016 during the early years of Duterte’s drug war.

Solo parents reminded of free PhilHealth coverage

Wendell Vigilia

October 7, 2024

AN administration lawmaker yesterday reminded solo parents that they now have free coverage under Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) after the state-run insurance agency released last month guidelines on the implementation of free health services for single parents and their registered children or dependents last month.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymond Villafuerte, principal author of Republic Act (RA) 11861 which expanded the benefits for single parents under the two-decade-old “Solo Parents Welfare Act” of 2000 or RA 8972, said covered are all those registered in the respective Solo Parents Offices (SPOs) or Solo Parent Divisions (SPDs) of the cities or municipalities where they live.

“Alongside a monthly cash subsidy for single moms and dads earning the minimum wage or below, and the 10 percent discount plus exemption from the 12 percent value-added tax on certain essential purchases, single dads and moms are now entitled to free PhilHealth coverage,” said Villafuerte.

RA 11861 increased the age threshold of the dependents entitled to the law’s benefits to 22 from 18 years old, and expanded the coverage of spouses to include not only the legitimate husbands or wives but also their partners in common-law relationships as defined by the Family Code.

Under PhilHealth Circular No. 2024-0020, which was published last Sept. 28, PhilHealth coverage is automatic and will apply to both working and non-working solo parents, Villafuerte said.

Solo parents are eligible to avail themselves of the PhilHealth KonSulTa Package and can sign up, along with their children or dependents, with an accredited PhilHealth Konsulta Provider of their choice.

In its Circular 2024-0020, PhilHealth said the automatic coverage gives flesh to Section 2(a) of RA 11861, which sets the State policy to “provide adequate social services, promote, full employment, a rising standard of living and an improved quality of life.”

RA 11861 tasks the government to “support the natural and primary rights and duty of solo parents in rearing their children by providing for their basic needs, and extending to them assistance in social services and welfare benefits, with the end in view of uplifting their status and circumstances.”

The law however states that the premium contributions of single dads and moms who have jobs in the formal economy “shall be shared equally by their respective employers and the national government.”

The PhilHealth circular defines as the children or dependents of solo parents those who are 22 years of age or below who depend upon their single moms or dads for support and who are unmarried and unemployed.

Those over 22 years old “but who are unable to fully take care or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition also qualify as dependents of solo parents.”

Under the guidelines, solo parents can avail themselves of all the benefits as provided by law by presenting the Solo Parent Identification Cards and booklets that were issued to them by their SPOs or SPDs, respectively, in their cities or municipalities.

Villafuerte said that aside from parents whose spouses have passed away, unmarried fathers or mothers and rape victims who opted to keep their offsprings, those legally considered as “solo parents” under RA 11861 include the spouses or family members of semi-skilled overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have been away from the Philippines for a period of 12 months; grandparents and other family members or qualified guardians who bear sole responsibility over the qualified children; and those whose spouses have been detained for at least three months for a criminal conviction.

Also classified now as “solo parents’ are those whose spouses have been medically certified as physically or mentally incapacitated; those who have been separated from their spouses for at least six months and have taken on sole parental care and support of their children; those whose marriages have been nullified or annulled and have been entrusted with solo parental care; and those who have been abandoned by their spouses for at least six months; and those whose spouses have been jailed for criminal conviction.

Alongside leave privileges under existing laws, solo parents are likewise entitled to a seven-day parental leave with pay regardless of employment status, and they get priority in any telecommuting program of their workplaces, said Villafuerte, who also co-authored RA 11165 or the Telecommuting Act of 2018.

In a 2017 study, the DOH and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) estimated about 14 to 15 million solo parents in the country.

Under RA 11861, solo parents who earn minimum wages or below will also get a higher monthly cash aid of P1,000 each from their respective local government units.

Fund misuse issues pulled down Sara’s survey ratings — solon

Wendell Vigilia

October 4, 2024

SENIOR Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. yesterday said Vice President Sara Duterte’s performance, trust and approval ratings will continue to plummet if she keeps on evading questions about her alleged misuse of public funds in both the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was still the education secretary.

Gonzales said Duterte’s refusal to exercise accountability befitting her office contributed to the significant drop in her approval and trust ratings in recent surveys.

“People expect public officials to be transparent in the use of government funds. Kaya hindi nakapagtataka na bumabagsak ang kanyang ratings dahil sa kanyang patuloy na pag-iwas sa mga tanong tungkol sa pondong ito (That’s why it’s no longer surprising that her ratings are going down because of her continued refusal to answer questions about these funds),” Gonzales said.

The latest Pulse Asia survey shows Duterte’s ratings going down, with her approval rating falling by nine percentage points from 69 percent in June to 60 percent in September, and her trust rating dropping by 10 percentage points from 71 percent to 61 percent over the same period.

“Hindi natin ikinakagulat ang patuloy na pagbaba ng ratings ni VP Duterte, lalo na’t hindi siya nagbibigay ng paliwanag ukol sa paggamit ng pondo ng OVP at DepEd. Pera ng bayan ang pinag-uusapan dito, kaya’t obligasyon niyang ipaliwanag ang mga kinukuwestiyong hindi tamang paggugol ng pondo (We weren’t surprised with the dip in VP Duterte’s ratings, especially since she isn’t explaining how she used funds in the OVP and DepEd. We’re talking about the people’s money here that why it’s her obligation to explain the funds under question),” Gonzales said.

“At sa pakiwari ko, bababa pa ito. Galit ang tao sa hindi tamang paggasta ng pampublikong pondo, lalong-lalo na’t hindi siya humaharap sa pagdinig ng Kongreso para ipaliwanag ang mga nakitang iregularidad (I think this will continue to go down. The people are angry at the misuse of public funds, especially that she did not face congressional hearings to explain the discovered irregularities),” he added.

The senior House leader cited the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the discrepancies in the handling of confidential funds (CFs) under Duterte’s leadership. In the fourth quarter of 2022, COA disallowed P73 million out of the P125 million CF allocated to the OVP.

For the first three quarters of 2023, the COA also flagged at least P164 million out of the P375 million in CFs disbursed by Duterte’s office, which is the subject of an audit observation memorandum (AOM).

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua started investigating Duterte’s alleged misuse of public funds after she refused to answer lawmakers’ questions during the budget hearings on the OVP’s P2.037 trillion proposed budget for 2025, which the House later cut down to only P733 million.

Gonzales said there seems to be a pattern in the alleged misuse of public funds, noting that what happened in 2002 was repeated in 2023 since such expenses were also flagged by COA.

He also cited the alleged wastage of public funds in the DepEd under Duterte, particularly the budget for school-based feeding programs and procurement of laptop computers.

COA’s audit report revealed significant lapses in the 2023 DepEd feeding program, uncovering defective food items such as moldy, insect-infested nutribuns, rotting food, and mislabeled packaging, depriving students in Aurora, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental, Iligan, and Quezon City of essential nutrition.

It also flagged the unacceptable delays in the procurement of essential school equipment, further raising concerns about the Vice President’s efficiency and transparency.

Gonzales said the youth were the ones directly affected by the alleged ineptness of the DepEd leadership under Duterte “and these issues cannot be brushed aside because the lives and the future of children are at stake.”

The veteran lawmaker said the issue is not just about the alleged mishandling of funds but also about Duterte’s overall refusal to be held accountable “which continues to damage her public image.”

“Kailangan nating ipakita na walang sinuman ang nakatataas sa batas. Kailangang humarap siya at sagutin ang mga tanong ng publiko, lalo na’t ito ay may kinalaman sa pondo ng bayan (We have to show that no one is above the law. She has to face it and answer the public, especially since it concerns public funds),” he said.

Solon: Sara’s budget higher than what ex-VP Leni got

Wendell Vigilia

October 2, 2024

VICE President Sara Duterte’s P733.198 million budget for next year which was approved by the House of Representatives is still higher than most of the outlays allocated throughout the six-year term of her predecessor, former vice president Leni Robredo, a House leader said yesterday.

“The Office of the Vice President (OVP) led by VP Duterte will not be crippled despite the decision of the House to reduce her 2025 funding. The Vice President will have sufficient funds to discharge her constitutional duties,” Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales said in a statement.

The House Committee on Appropriations has slashed the OVP’s proposed P2.037 billion budget by a whopping 63.8 percent, approving only P733.198 million after Duterte refused to answer questions from lawmakers related to how her office spent its P2.3 billion allocation in 2023.

The Vice President particularly stonewalled questions hounding her use of P125 million confidential funds in 2022, P73 million of which was later disallowed by the Commission on Audit (COA).

The House, in plenary, last week adopted the committee’s recommendation before it approved Malacañang’s P6.352 trillion proposed national budget for 2025 on third and final reading.

This was after Speaker Martin Romualdez appealed to colleagues not to slash the OVP’s budget even more as proposed by some lawmakers, who wanted to give the OVP a zero budget because of her absence in plenary and committee deliberations on her office’s proposed budget.

The reduction was also prompted by audit findings that the OVP’s Financial Assistance (FA) schemes such as the distribution of burial, educational, medical, and transportation funds were redundant because it duplicates similar programs being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH).

The House realigned the OVP’s entire P943 million FA fund to the DSWD and DOH, although OVP beneficiaries could still access the FA allocation by sending their requests to the two departments.

On apples-to-apples comparison, Gonzales said that in 2023, Duterte’s first full-year in office, she had P2.344 billion, including a P500 million confidential fund and a P920 million “financial assistance” allocation, while Robredo had a measly P428.6 million, without a confidential fund and a financial aid fund, during her first full-year in office in 2017.

This year, her second full year in office, Duterte had P1.874 billion, while Robredo had P543.9 million in 2018, Gonzales noted.

Next year, the incumbent Vice President’s third year in office, the OVP under Duterte will have P733.198 million but some senators have expressed intention to move for the increase in the amount.

In comparison, Robredo, who led the opposition under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, only had P663.4 million in 2019.

Robredo had P699.9 million in 2020, P900 million in 2021, which was her biggest budget, and P702 million in 2022, which she divided with her successor.

The OVP had P500 million in 2016, which was shared by Robredo and his predecessor, former vice president Jejomar Binay.

“Clearly, VP Sara enjoyed much bigger budgets that what VP Leni had,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales said the House’s decision to reduce the OVP budget “is consistent with the vision of Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III on the principal job and duty of the Vice President.”

Pimentel has said Duterte should focus on her main duty as the country’s second highest elected official and successor to the presidency and should not implement programs that are not included in her constitutional mandate.

Whistleblower admission to witness protection being studied — Barbers

Wendell Vigilia

October 2, 2024

SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the overall chairperson of the House quad committee, yes-terday said the panel is studying if it will recommend the admission of Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza in the De-partment of Justice’s (DOJ) Witness Protection Program.

Barbers, who chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said an endorsement from Congress is the only way Mendoza can be admitted in the DOJ program since police officers are prohibited by law to avail of the WPP.

“We’re studying if it’s okay,” he said in a text message, adding that the DOJ is likewise assessing if Men-doza and retired Police Cpl. Nelson Mariano, who admitted to recruiting a hitman, a certain “Loloy,” to kill former Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO) official Wesley Barayuga in 2020, can be admit-ted in the program.

Barbers explained that government personnel are prohibited from being admitted into the program un-der Republic Act No. 6981, or “An Act Providing for a Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program and for other purposes.”

Section 3 of the law states that any person who has witnessed or has knowledge or information on the commission of a crime and has testified or is testifying or about to testify may be admitted into the pro-gram, excluding a “law enforcement officer, even if he would be testifying against the other law en-forcement officers.”

“In such a case, only the immediate members of his family may avail themselves of the protection pro-vided for under this Act,” the law said.

Section 4 however provides for an exemption: “In case of legislative investigations in aid of legislation, a witness, with his express consent, may be admitted into the [WPP] upon the recommendation of the legislative committee where his testimony is needed when in its judgment there is pressing necessity therefore: provided, that such recommendation is approved by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may be.”

Mendoza claimed during the quad committee’s hearing last Friday that former PCSO general manager Royina Garma

ordered Barayuga’s assassination in exchange for P300,000, a claim corroborated by Mariano.

Mendoza said that the plot allegedly began in October 2019 when Police Col. Edilberto Leonardo, now a commissioner of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), approached him with a “special pro-ject” to eliminate Barayuga and frame him for alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Mendoza said he reluctantly complied because the order came directly from Garma, who was known for her close ties to then then-president and for alleged links to the Davao Death Squad (DDS).

Meanwhile, Sen. Christopher Go welcome the reopening of the police investigation into the assassina-tion of Barayuga even as he denied claims that he was informed about the motive of the killing.

The PNP has reopened its probe on the Barayuga murder in light of the revelations of Mendoza during the House hearing.

“Wine-welcome ko ang balak ng pambansang kapulisan na muling buksan ang imbestigasyon sa pagpatay sa dating opisyal ng PCSO na si Wesley Barayuga. Dapat lamang na mabigyan ng hustisya ang kanyang pamilya. Dapat nga noon pa ay nabigyan na ng hustisya yan. Gayunpaman, Mabuti na rin na maimbestigahan yang muli ngayon para mapanagot ang dapat managot (I welcome the PNP’s move to reopen the investigation on the killing of former PCSO official Wesley Barayuga. It is only fitting that jus-tice be served his family which should have been given earlier. Nevertheless, a re-investigation is good so that those responsible for his death be made accountable),” Go said in a statement.

Go denied the claim of former PCSO chairperson Anselmo Pinili that the senator knew the motive for killing Barayuga.

Pinili, also during the quad committee hearing last week, said he allegedly shared the possible motive and suspects on the killing of Barayuga in a conversation with Go and former undersecretary Jesus Mel-chor Quitain.

Go said: “Nais ko ring klaruhin na wala akong alam sa sinasabing motibo sa kanyang pagkamatay o sa anumang impormasyon na mayroon si dating PCSO chair Anselmo Simeon Pinili ukol dito (I would also like to clarify that I know nothing of the alleged motive in his [Barayuga’s] death or to any other infor-mation former PSCO chair Anselmo Simeo Pinili has in relation to this).”

He said he was already a senator during the time of the killing and was busy focusing on his job as chair-person of the Senate Committee on Health.

“Tumutulong ako sa Duterte administration noon sa pagtugon sa mga suliranin ng bansa, ngunit kapag may inilalapit sa akin na mga isyu o report, palagi kong inire-refer ang mga iyon sa kaukulang opisina, ahensya o opisyal. Lalo na kung hindi ko naman trabahong aksyunan ang mga iyon dahil Senador ako na may sariling mandato (I am helping the Duterte administration in addressing the problems of the coun-try. When some kind of information were brought to me, I always make it a point to refer them to the concerned government agency or official especially when they are not within my duties and functions as I am a senator with specific mandates),” Go said.

“Sa totoo lang po, hindi ko rin naman pwedeng pakialaman ang proseso ng ating kapulisan tungkol sa insidente. That is why I take exception sa mga ibinabalita sa media na may alam ako sa motibo ng pagkamatay ng isang tao at wala raw akong ginawa. Please get your facts straight. Doon lang sana tayo sa totoo at tama (To tell you the truth, I am aware that I cannot interfere in the processes made by the police in relation to that incident. That’s why I take exception to reports that I know of the motive in the killing of a certain individual and that I did not act on it. Please get your facts straight. Let us stick to what is right),” he added. — With Raymond Africa

P112M DepEd confi funds used for ‘youth summits’ during Sara’s time — solon

Wendell Vigilia

September 27, 2024

AN administration lawmaker has revealed another alleged misuse of confidential funds by Vice President Sara Duterte, this time involving the Department of Education’s (DepEd) use of P112.5 million for “youth summits.”

Citing the Audit Observation Memorandums (AOMs) of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the DepEd’s 2023 budget, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the department spent the amount for questionable youth seminars.

“Pagpapakain lang ng almost 3,000 students, uubusin ba natin ng P112.5 million? Kahit na tatlong buwan silang mag-hotel, hindi maubos ang P112.5 million (Why spend P112.5 million just to feed 3,000 students? Even if they stay in a hotel for three months, P112.5 million will not be used up),” Pimentel said during the resumption of the hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability last Wednesday.

The Vice President, whose use of public funds in the OVP and the DepEd is being investigated after she refused to answer questions hounding her office’s use of confidential funds, skipped the panel’s hearing, telling lawmakers in a letter that the investigation was “unnecessary.”

Pimentel said the funds, supposedly earmarked for Youth Leadership Summits, was flagged by the COA for lack of proper documentation and questionable liquidation reports, which is similar to what happened to the P73 million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President in 2022.

He said the COA flagged the cash advances and liquidation reports related to the summits and raised concerns about the large sum used, which supposedly lacked supporting documentation such as receipts and photographs.

Pimentel cited COA’s two AOMs dated February 1, 2024 and August 8, 2024, both addressed to DepEd’s special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, who, according to the lawmaker, was reportedly responsible for P75 million in cash advances and their liquidation.

Fajarda did not attend the hearing, along with other OVP officials, which prompted the panel to issue show-cause orders to at least five of them and require their presence in the next hearing.

“It is very important that the presence of Mr. Fajarda is required in this committee, as he is the one who made and liquidated the cash advance,” said Pimentel.

Former DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa, who was present at the hearing, clarified that the summits were not directly conducted by DepEd but by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as part of the department’s advocacy against insurgency since the Vice President did not want students to be recruited by communist rebels.

“The Youth Leadership Summit is not something that DepEd had conducted, but actually ‘yung mismong nag-certify po from the AFP (the one who actually certified it from the AFP),” Poa told the panel, which prompted Pimentel to say: “Mr. Chair, kahit na confidential fund po iyan (even if that’s confidential), that is still taxpayer’s money. Napakalaking halaga ang P112 million para sa youth leadership summit (P112.5 million was too excessive for a youth leadership summit).”

COA auditor Gloria Camora, who is also a lawyer, confirmed the existence of the AOMs covering different periods in 2023 after Pimentel asked if the youth summits actually took place, pointing out that the liquidation documents submitted to COA only included certifications from military officers.

The certifications stated that several Youth Leadership Summits were conducted, with one certification stating that 531 participants took part in eight activities, while another mentioned 205 youth participants, and yet another cited 860 participants in nine summits.

Pimentel, however, was unconvinced, saying the certifications were insufficient to justify such large expenditures. “In fact, for me, ordinary person ako (I’m just an ordinary person), this does not fall within the utilization of the (COA) Joint Circular,” he said.

Pimentel said Fajarda has to be made to explain how the funds were spent. “So that is why this committee would want to know where the money went, because it is very clear, this is just on paper. Pero ang totoo po niyan, may pinuntahan ho ‘yung P112.5 million (The truth is, the P112.5 million was used for something else),” he said.

LIE DETECTOR

Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun challenged the Vice President to take a lie detector test with former Education Undersecretary Gloria Mercado, who earlier claimed that she received envelopes containing P50,000 monthly, allegedly from Duterte, while she was serving as the Head of the Procuring Entity (HOPE) of the DepEd.

“Kung talagang sa puso ni VP Duterte e feeling niya nagsasabi siya ng totoo, mag-lie detector test na lang silang dalawa ni Usec Mercado, para magkaalaman kung sinong nagsasabi ng totoo. Hindi na kailangan pang mag-deny at manira sa presscon (If, in her heart, she feels that she’s really telling the truth, she should take a lie detector test with Usec Mercado for us to know who’s telling the truth. There’s no need to deny it at a press conference),” he said.

The 65-year-old Mercado has told the panel that she was pressured to resign after she questioned the procurement process for the DepEd computerization program when Duterte was still education secretary.

The career professional, who served as the DepEd’s undersecretary for human resources and organization and development (HR), told the panel chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua that she received nine envelopes containing a total of P450,000 between February 2023 to September 2023 supposedly from Duterte because of her position as the HoPE head.

Mercado presented to the committee the envelopes which she claimed she kept in her cabinet, saying she donated the money to charity. She also vowed to show lawmakers a receipt to prove the donation she made to a non-government organization (NGO).

“Kung wala namang tinatago si VP Duterte, walang issue sa pag-take ng lie detector test (If VP Duterte is not hiding anything, there’s no issue on taking a lie detector test),” Khonghun said. “Pondo ng bayan ang pinag-uusapan (We’re talking about the people’s money here) and the Vice President owes it to the people to prove her honesty and integrity.”

Khonghun pointed out that Mercado testified under oath before the committee, while the Vice President has refused to take an oath, raising questions about the veracity of her claims.

“Yung testimony ni Usec Mercado, she made under oath. Si VP Duterte refused to take the oath. Kaya hindi mo maalis sa aming mga mambabatas ang magduda sa transparency ni VP Duterte. Kaya mas maganda, mag-lie detector test na lang siya (Usec Mercado’s testimony was made under oath. VP Duterte refused to take the oath. You can’t blame us lawmakers for doubting the transparency of VP Duterte),” he said.

‘QUESTIONABLE MOTIVES’

In a statement yesterday, the Vice President urged lawmakers “who are out to destroy me to stop using witnesses who have no credibility or with questionable motives.”

“Halimbawa nito ay si Gloria Mercado na tinanggal sa pwesto bilang undersecretary ng Department of Education at ngayon ay bahagi na ng political machinery laban sa akin. Nais ng Kongreso na paniwalaan ng mga Pilipino si Mercado at kalimutan na umamin itong masama ang kanyang loob nang mawala sa pwesto (An example of this is Gloria Mercado who was removed from her position as undersecretary of the Department of Education and is now part of the political machinery against me. Congress wants the people to believe Mercado and forget that she admitted being disgruntled after she lost her post),” she said.

The Vice President reiterated her reasons for letting Mercado go, which includes allegedly sending an unauthorized solicitation letter to a company in 2023 to ask for P16 million on behalf of the DepEd to cover transportation, power source, web hosting and other technical requirements for the department’s General User Response Optimization (DepEd-GURO) program as shown by a letter Mercado signed in August 2023.

Mercado, during the hearing, denied that she solicited such a huge amount from a private company, saying the donations were made “in kind.” She also vowed to present documents to the panel.

Duterte said Mercado also appointed a teacher from Central Visayas to be her executive assistant, a non-teaching position in the DepEd’s headquarters, which the Vice President said was irregular.

“Maliban sa hinaharap na kaso ng korapsyon, kilala din si Mercado sa kanyang ugaling paninira sa mga kasamahan sa trabaho, kabilang na ng kapwa matataas na opisyal ng DepEd. Sa akin mismo ay sinubukan ni Mercado na siraan ang tatlong opisyal ng DepEd (Apart from facing a corruption case, Mercado is also known for her penchant to taint the reputation of co-workers, including her fellow high officials of DepEd. She personally tried to destroy the reputations of three DepEd officials to me),” she said.

Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr., an assistant minority leader, called on the Vice President to address the questions raised by legislators “rather than resorting to histrionics.”

He made the statement on the House floor after the Vice President again failed to appear at the budget deliberations for her office’s proposed national budget for 2025 on Wednesday.

Bordado drew a stark comparison between the current administration’s handling of funds and the modest, transparent approach taken by former Vice President Leni Robredo.

“I rise today to express my deep concern regarding the current budgetary allocations and spending practices of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), particularly in comparison to the very modest and transparent expenditures during the time of former Vice President Leni Robredo,” Bordado said. “This comparison is crucial as we examine the sharp contrasts in budget requests, the handling of funds, and the outcomes delivered by the office over recent years.”

Sara ally stripped of membership in 5 juicy House committees

Wendell Vigilia

September 27, 2024

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday night stripped Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (PL, Sagip) of membership in five juicy committees after defending Vice President Sara Duterte during committee hearings on her alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Before the House adjourned session, Iloilo City Rep. Jam Baronda, a deputy majority leader, moved to nominate Manila Teachers party-list Rep. Virginia Lacson as a member of the Commission on Appointments, and the committees on energy, justice, public accounts, and constitutional amendments “vice Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.”

The House leadership does not explain whenever such motions are raised in the plenary.

Marcoleta has earlier been removed as vice chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability, which is now chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua who is leading investigations into Duterte’s use of confidential funds, particularly the P73 million disallowed by the Commission on Audit, for fiscal year 2023.

Marcoleta even moved for the termination of the Chua panel’s hearing last week in the presence of the Vice President, who was also defended by another ally, former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The P73 million disallowed by COA, which is part of the P125-million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in 2022, was followed by an additional P164 million under the OVP’s secret funds for 2023, which was also flagged by the audit body. Also flagged by COA in audit observation memorandums was P164 million which is part of the P500-million confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) of the OVP for 2023.

The COA has so far questioned the use of P237 million in confidential funds under Vice President Sara Duterte who is being criticized by administration lawmakers for refusing to answer their questions during the budget hearings and the subsequent hearing called by the House committee on good government and public accountability.

Also on Wednesday night, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez led the House in welcoming Percival Cendaña of the Akbayan Citizens Action Party as its newest member.

Cendaña was sworn in by the Speaker a day after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed Akbayan as winner in the 2022 party-list race, awarding the party a seat in the House.

Cendaña was accompanied by family members and former colleagues, including former Rep. Loreta “Etta” Rosales, former chairperson of Akbayan and the Commission on Human Rights.

As stipulated in Section 7, Article 6 of the Philippine Constitution, Cendaña will serve in the House of Representatives until June 30, 2025.

Cendaña served as a commissioner of the National Youth Commission from 2011 to 2016 and was president of Babaylanes Inc., a prominent NGO at the University of the Philippines.

His leadership experience also includes serving as the Student Council chairperson at UP Diliman in 1997 and as chief of staff for former Akbayan Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, who later became the governor of Dinagat Islands.

Cassy Ong transferred to women’s correctional

Wendell Vigilia

September 27, 2024

THE House of Representatives has transferred Katherine Cassandra Li Ong to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City after she was cited in contempt by the lawmakers for the second time last week for lying during their ongoing investigation into the proliferation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) under the Duterte administration.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said Ong, who is tagged as the authorized representative of raided Lucky South 99, a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, was transferred last Wednesday from the House of Representatives’ detention center.

The House quad committee ordered the 24-year-old Ong transferred to the CIW after serving her first 30-day contempt penalty for snubbing the panel’s summons.

Ong was again cited in contempt last week for giving false testimony about her educational background after Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (PL, Abang Lingkod), a co-chair of the joint panel, questioned her claim of attending Alternative Learning System (ALS) classes either in 2016 or 2017.

The quad comm, which is set to hold another hearing today, is looking into the illegal POGO operations and their connections to various illicit activities, including money laundering, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.

Last August 23, Ong was arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia, alongside Shiela Guo, the purported sister of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who is also allegedly involved in illegal POGO operations in her town.

Both were immediately deported to the Philippines.

Ong was handed over to the NBI and subsequently transferred to House custody.

Meanwhile, Speaker Martin Romualdez yesterday backed the quad committee’s hearings, saying the House will not allow evil to rule the country.

“The congressional-wide inquiry – now known by our people as the quad comm – aims to uncover the truth, identify the perpetrators of those illicit activities, obtain justice for the victims and their respective families, and most importantly to ferret out the deficiencies and flaws in our existing laws, and legislate appropriate remedies,” Romualdez said in his speech before the House adjourned session on Wednesday night.

“Criminals have no place in our society, and we are leaving no stone unturned to preserve the peace and security in our country. Inuulit ko: Walang puwang ang mga kriminal sa ating lipunan. Hindi natin papayagan na mag-hari ang mga panginoon at alagad ng kadiliman at kasamaan sa ating bansa (I repeat this: There is no place for criminals in our society. We will not allow lords and servants of darkness and evil to rule our country),” he added.

House OKs P6.352T budget for 2025

Wendell Vigilia

September 26, 2024

THE House of Representatives last night approved on third and final reading Malacañang’s proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 after lawmakers were left with no choice but to terminate the plenary deliberations on the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) P2.037 billion budget request because of Vice President Sara Duterte’s absence in the proceedings.

The House voted 285-3 with zero abstention.

The House of Representatives was forced to tackle the OVP’s proposed budget so it can finish and approve the Executive’s proposed P6.352 trillion budget for next year.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday night certified House Bill (HB) No. 10800, or the General Appropriations Bill, as urgent, which allowed the House to approve the GAB on second and on third reading on the same day.

“Pursuant to the provisions of Article VI, Section 26 (2) of the 1987 Constitution, I hereby certify to the necessity of the immediate enactment of House Bill No. 10800,” the President said in a letter to Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The 2025 budget, which is intended to support the administration in attaining economic and social transformation and guided by the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, is equivalent to 22 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The new budget proposal reflects a 10.1 percent increase from this year’s P5.768 trillion budget in 2024.

Per sector, education remains the top priority with an allocation of P977.6 billion, followed by public Works with P900 billion, and health with P297.6 billion.

Next is interior and local government with P278.4 billion, and national defense, which was earmarked P256.1 billion “to uphold national security, modernize defense capabilities, and ensure the safety and sovereignty of the nation” in light of China’s illegal incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

Social welfare was allocated P230.1 billion, agriculture with P211.3 billion, and transportation with P180.9 billion.

The Judiciary is allocated P63.6 billion, while the Department of Justice got P40.6 billion.

The House Committee on Appropriations earlier slashed the OVP’s proposed P2.037 billion budget by a whopping 63.8 percent, approving only P733.198 million after Duterte refused to answer questions from lawmakers related to how her office spent its P2.3 billion allocation in 2023.

The plenary adopted the committee’s recommendation during the period of amendments last night after Romualdez appealed to colleagues not to slash the OVP’s budget even more, as proposed by some lawmakers who wanted to give the OVP a zero budget.

“May ilang miyembro ng Kongreso na nagmungkahi na bawasan pa ang badyet ng Office of the Vice President, at ang iba pa ay nagpanukala na gawing zero ang pondo ng tanggapan dahil sa kanyang hindi pagsipot (Some members of Congress proposed that we lower the OVP’s budget even more and others even wanted a zero budget for the office because of her non-appearance),” the Speaker said in a statement.

“Ngunit tinanggihan ko ang mga mungkahing ito. Naiintindihan ko ang mga pagkadismaya, pero naniniwala ako na mahalaga pa ring magkaroon ng sapat na badyet ang Office of the Vice President para magpatuloy sa paglilingkod sa ating mga kababayan (But I declined such proposals. I understand the disappointment, but I believe that it’s important for the OVP to have a sufficient budget to continue serving our people),” Romualdez added.

SARA’S ABSENCE

Because of the Vice President’s absence, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, the plenary sponsor of the OVP’s budget, said the House has found itself in a “very unique circumstance” since no one from the OVP was present to help him defend the budget proposal.

“Talo pa ang isang estudyanteng nagbulakbol (She’s worse than a truant),” Rep. Raoul Manuel (PL, ACT), a member of the militant Makabayan bloc, told the plenary when congressmen tackled the OVP’s budget on the floor for the final time since Monday, when they started waiting for Duterte to attend the floor deliberations.

Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela), also from the Makabayan bloc, said “it was unacceptable that we were boycotted.” “Pambabatos ito sa taongbayan (This is an insult to the people),” she said.

“Ina-abandona na ba niya ang kanyang duties bilang Bise Presidente? Duty ang pagsagot sa budget deliberations dahil pera ng taongbayan ang pinag-uusapan. Hindi ito choice na pwedeng i-forgo na lang (Is she abandoning her duties as Vice President? Answering questions during the deliberations is a duty because we’re talking about the people’s money. This isn’t a choice that you can just forgo),” she also said.

Duterte stopped attending the budget hearings and the subsequent plenary deliberations after she refused to answer questions hounding her office’s use of P73 million in confidential funds which was part of the OVP’s 2022 budget.

Lawmakers believe that the P73 million was disallowed by the Commission on Audit (COA) out of the P125 million confidential funds spent by the OVP in 2022 is just the beginning of a “broader pattern of seeming misuse or mismanagement of government funds.”

In a September 11 letter to Adiong, the Vice President reiterated her stand that she will no longer defend her office’s proposed budget for 2025, stressing that lawmakers can do whatever they want with it.

The OVP, in statement, has said the Vice President did not make lawmakers wait for her because she informed them that she has no intention to participate as early as September 11.

WEEKEND IN CALAGUAS

Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez (PL, 1-Rider) refuted the Vice President’s claim that she didn’t let officials and members of the House wait for 17 hours during her office’s scheduled plenary budget deliberations last Monday.

“If we take note, the contents of the letter is a reiteration of the answer that they interposed even for the pre-budget deliberations,” he said. “In other words, she only repeated that she is leaving it to the House to decide on the fate of her budget. However, it does not say that she will not participate with our processes.”

Lawmakers also continued to pounce on the Vice President for “lying” when she denied that she was vacationing at a beach in Calaguas, Camarines Norte last Monday while the House was set to tackle her office’s proposed budget.

Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT), also from the Makabayan bloc, cited as evidence a PNP spot report confirming the weekend beach trip which lasted until Monday to belie the Vice President’s claim that it is “fake news.”

“The truth has a way of coming to light,” Castro stated, referring to the police report that documented Duterte’s presence on Calaguas Island from September 21 to 23. “It is alarming that the Vice President chooses to dismiss verified reports as fake news when there is clear documentation of her whereabouts.”

The OVP, in a statement on Monday night, said: “The Vice President was on the road today talking to the people about the current events in our country.”

According to the PNP report, Vice President Duterte, accompanied by her entourage, arrived in Vinzons, Camarines Norte, early on September 21 and traveled to Mahabang Buhangin Beach. Duterte reportedly stayed at the “I Love Calaguas” resort and engaged with local officials before departing the island on September 23.

“While public officials have the right to personal time, it is unacceptable to do so during important budget deliberations, especially when denying the trip outright,” she said.

Reps. Paolo Ortega V of La Union and Jefferson Khonghun of Zambales demanded an apology from the Vice President, assailing her dishonesty. “It is conduct unbecoming of a public official, especially one holding the second highest position in the land,” they said.

“The Vice President owes the Filipino people an explanation and an apology. This is not the kind of leadership we deserve — where the truth is hidden and lies are told to cover it up,” Ortega said,

For his part, Khonghun said: “This is conduct unbecoming of any public official, especially the Vice President of the Philippines. Honesty should be a non-negotiable trait for anyone who holds office.”

Administration lawmakers from the Young Guns bloc, particularly Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon (PL, Ako Bicol), earlier said Duterte should just resign if she is no longer interested in performing her duties and responsibilities, which includes attending the plenary deliberations on her office’s proposed budget for 2025.

NOT RESIGNING

Reacting, the Vice President said she is not going anywhere.

“Hindi ako sasagot sa Young Guns dahil kailangan ko sumagot sa 32 million na bumoto sa akin. Hindi sa isa o dalawang tao. Hindi ako aalis dito dahil nilagay ako ng mga tao dito believing I will work for the country (I will not respond to the Young Guns because I answer to 32 million who voted for me and not to just one or two people. I am not stepping down because the people put me here believing I will work for the country),” she told a press conference.

The Vice President earlier said the OVP can work even with a zero budget from the national coffers and accused lawmakers of plotting to impeachment her to diminish her chances in the 2028 presidential national elections.

She said lawmakers are trying to make a case for impeachment and when they did not find any evidence, “they are trying to fish by asking questions inside (the House).”

“Sa tingin ko sa nangyayari wala silang kaso sa impeachment kaya sila hanap ng hanap sa kung ano gagamitin nila (I think what’s happening is they have no case for impeachment so they’re looking for a ground),” she said. “Gumawa sila ng isa pang track na resignation (They made another track, which is the call for resignation).”

‘PENCHANT FOR CONFI FUNDS’

Also yesterday, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said Duterte’s penchant for confidential funds originated during her tenure as Davao City mayor.

“I wish to manifest my observation that the irregularities which have been observed in the utilization of confidential fund in the (OVP) should be checked as well. With respect to the utilization of confidential fund of Davao City during those times, the mayor is no less than our Vice President,” Luistro told the hearing of the House Committee on Good Government on the OVP’s use of confidential funds,

The committee, chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua, is investigating allegations that the Vice President mismanaged OVP funds, following findings by the COA.

The hearing shed light on the justification for confidential funds in local government units (LGUs), as mandated by Section 16 of the Local Government Code, which assigns LGUs the responsibility of promoting peace and order.

However, Luistro pointed out that the OVP’s mandate does not include peace and order, surveillance or national security. “Nowhere in the law or the Constitution does it say that the OVP is responsible for promoting peace and order, conducting surveillance activities, or handling matters of national security,” she said.

In her interpellation, Luistro highlighted the disproportionate allocation of confidential funds to Davao City compared to other major cities, noting that in 2022, its confidential fund surged to P460 million.

This amount far exceeded those allocated to other highly urbanized cities such as Cebu (P7.38 million), Manila (P120 million), Makati (P240 million), and Quezon (P75 million).

“Nakakapagtaka lang po kung bakit nalampasan pa ng Davao ang City of Manila, ang Makati, ang Quezon City. (It’s baffling why Davao City surpassed the cities of Manila, Makati and Quezon). For Makati, Davao almost doubled the confidential fund. For City of Manila, it almost tripled the confidential fund. Ang Cebu City po was way left behind because it is only P7.38 million,” Luistro said.

She further detailed Davao City’s historical confidential fund allocation, which was P144 million in 2016, P294 million in 2017, P420 million in 2018, and P460 million annually from 2019 to 2022.

“I just wish to state for the record that while we acknowledge that the LGU is entitled to confidential fund, because under Section 16 of the Local Government Code, bahagi po ng mandato nila is the promotion of peace and order,” Luistro said.

She added: “I just wish to state for the record that during this time, 2018 to 2022, the Mayor of Davao City, I believe, is no less than the Vice President. And I wish to state for the record as well, that the confidential fund that we are discussing about the OVP, last quarter of 2022 and the first three quarters of 2023, the one in disposal, is no less than our Vice President as well.”

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LIE DETECTOR

‘QUESTIONABLE MOTIVES’

SARA’S ABSENCE

WEEKEND IN CALAGUAS

NOT RESIGNING

‘PENCHANT FOR CONFI FUNDS’

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