THE House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, commonly known as the Blue Ribbon Committee, is set to wrap up its investigation into allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte misused ₱612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Committee chair Rep. Joel Chua (Manila, 3rd District) confirmed that panel members would meet on Monday to finalize the probe.
He stated the investigation’s findings would be summarized and made available for potential use in the impeachment process against Duterte.
Two impeachment complaints have been filed against the Vice President in the House of Representatives, citing alleged irregularities in using confidential funds.
Chua emphasized that while his committee has fulfilled its mandate to investigate the matter in aid of legislation, the impeachment proceedings are appropriate for addressing these allegations.
The committee’s probe, which spanned seven hearings, uncovered several irregularities, including:
- Alleged misuse of ₱500 million in confidential funds by the OVP between late 2022 and the third quarter of 2023, and ₱112.5 million by the DepEd in 2023.
- Falsified receipts purportedly signed by fictitious individuals, such as “Mary Grace Piattos,” who were listed as recipients of the funds.
- ₱16 million was spent on renting 34 safe houses for just 11 days, with daily costs reaching ₱91,000 for one property.
- ₱15 million was claimed for youth leadership summits, which military officials denied receiving, suggesting possible misrepresentation of activities.
Chua noted that the findings will be turned over to the House Committee on Justice if required for the impeachment deliberations.