A House committee has requested the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to verify the identities of 677 individuals listed as beneficiaries of Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential funds.
The committee’s move follows the PSA’s discovery that at least two names—Mary Grace Piattos and Kokoy Villamin—do not appear in the national civil registry.
The findings could significantly impact the two ongoing impeachment complaints against Duterte, which accuse her of misusing millions in confidential funds. “This is deeply troubling,” said Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chair, Manila Rep. Joel Chua.
“If Mary Grace Piattos doesn’t exist in official records, we must question whether the other 677 names are legitimate, or part of a broader scheme to misuse public funds.”
The impeachment complaints, filed by various groups this week, allege Duterte mishandled P612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The committee’s inquiry revealed that Piattos received P70,000 from the OVP for “medicines,” one of the largest amounts allocated to a beneficiary of the OVP’s P125 million confidential fund in 2022, which was spent in just 11 days.
The investigation also uncovered irregularities in Villamin’s case, with discrepancies in the signatures used on documents for funds received from both the OVP and DepEd.
These findings have raised concerns that the OVP and DepEd may have used fictitious names in official receipts to justify confidential fund expenditures.
Duterte, who utilized a total of P612.5 million in confidential funds from 2022 to 2023, is facing scrutiny over her handling of these large sums.
LAWMAKERS RAISE CONCERNS OVER POSSIBLE FALSIFICATION OF RECEIPTS
At a press conference earlier this week, Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre and Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman expressed concerns over the authenticity of the acknowledgment receipts (ARs) linked to Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential funds, suggesting they may be fabricated.
The lawmakers indicated that this could be used as evidence in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the Vice President.
“This could potentially be used as evidence, but we still need to review the details,” Roman said. Acidre, for his part, emphasized that the proper use of public funds is a key factor in maintaining public trust.
“If there are fabricated ARs, that would indicate wasteful spending. This is a clear betrayal of public trust,” he stated. Acidre further noted that falsifying ARs could lead to charges of technical malversation.
One of the most questionable ARs involved a person named “Piattos,” who allegedly signed an AR for a P70,000 allocation from the OVP’s P125 million confidential fund in December 2022.
However, the OVP’s special disbursing officer, Gina Acosta, told lawmakers that she was unfamiliar with Piattos, even though the name was reportedly common in Davao City, where Duterte once served as mayor.
A subsequent search revealed no records of a “Mary Grace Piattos” in Davao, and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) confirmed there were no birth, marriage, or death records under that name.
The controversy deepened as many ARs submitted by the OVP were found to be either initialed or completely unsigned. Acidre argued that these irregularities point to potential misuse of funds and called for accountability in the management of public money.
As the House continues its investigation, it has opted to remove the OVP’s confidential funds from the 2024 budget, citing the lack of direct national security or law enforcement duties by the Vice President’s office.
This decision, led by Speaker Martin Romualdez, has created tension within the Marcos-Duterte alliance, which was already strained following Duterte’s resignation as education secretary in June.
Duterte’s critics have also seized upon her controversial disclosure of allegedly having contracted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez in case she is killed first in a supposed plot against her.
