Vice President Sara Duterte is under scrutiny for possible plunder charges following irregularities in the use of confidential funds during her tenure at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The House Blue Ribbon Committee revealed questionable disbursements of confidential funds during a hearing on the matter.
Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop pointed to a lack of transparency in the spending of public funds, allegedly in violation of COA-DBM Joint Circular No. 2015-01.
Acop criticized Duterte’s camp for allegedly diverting attention from the issue by complicating the narrative surrounding the allocation of confidential funds.
According to the committee’s investigation, OVP’s Gina Acosta and DepEd’s Edward Fajarda managed confidential funds without proper documentation.
Lawmakers warned that officials involved could face charges including plunder, technical malversation, falsification of public documents, bribery, and perjury.
Those found guilty of plunder or related crimes face imprisonment ranging from six to 12 years.
Rep. Eric Pimentel noted that falsification of documents by resource speakers further compounded the violations.
The hearings continue as part of the legislative inquiry, with lawmakers emphasizing accountability in the misuse of public funds.