In a shocking revelation during a House committee hearing, Gloria Mercado, the former head of the procurement unit at the Department of Education (DepEd), claimed she received P50,000 monthly from Vice President Sara Duterte to influence agency bidding decisions.
From February to September 2023, Mercado alleged that she received nine envelopes labeled “HoPE” (Head of Procuring Entity) containing the cash payments.
She stated that these envelopes were given to her monthly by former DepEd Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda, reportedly originating from Duterte’s office.
Mercado’s affidavit claimed Fajarda informed her that the payments were from the Vice President. Mercado also noted Fajarda’s connection to DepEd, as she is married to the department’s special disbursement officer, Edward Fajarda.
Vice President Duterte firmly denied the allegations and challenged Mercado to present evidence.
She accused Mercado of soliciting P16 million from a company under the false pretense of authorization from the department.
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) revealed a letter from Mercado, allegedly on her former DepEd letterhead, which detailed requests for various resources, including funding for the DepEd Guro apps and training equipment.
Duterte confronted Mercado about the allegations during her visits to Cebu, expressing a loss of trust and urging Mercado to resign. Mercado reportedly requested early retirement due to her age, which Duterte granted.
The Vice President emphasized that these events led to Mercado’s removal from her position and stated she possesses documents supporting her decision.