MANILA – The House of Representatives’ appropriations committee has approved a motion to issue a subpoena on the Commission on Audit (COA) reports on the use of the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during fiscal year 2022 to 2023.
House panel vice-chairperson, Marikina’s Cong. Stella Luz Quimbo, swifly approved the motion, which was raised by ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro and was supported by Arlene Brosas and Raoul Manuel.
“By virtue of the oversight power of the Committee on Appropriations, the motion to issue the subpoena duces tecum requiring COA to submit the audit report of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education on the use of the confidential funds for fiscal year 2022-2023, hearing no objections, the motion is carried,” Quimbo said.
Brosas, a known critic of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, made the motion after the COA confirmed it had already completed its audit actions and observations on the liquidation reports submitted by the OVP and DepEd during the fiscal period.
“Mahalaga itong usapan ng confidential funds…Since hindi pupwedeng sabihin dito ang findings ng COA…May I therefore move that a subpoena duces tecum be issued to COA, o kung meron mang disallowances or suspension issued to the OVP and the DepEd,” said Castro.
In its 2022 Annual Audit Report, COA said the OVP had P125 million in confidential expenses last year despite not having an appropriation for intelligence or confidential funds under the 2022 General Appropriations Act.
The COA added that the OVP also received P500 million in confidential funds in 2023.
Panay News has tried to reach out to the OVP for a comment on the issue, but has yet to respond as of press time./PN
