BOLSTERED
THE discovery of additional fictitious and bogus names in the receipts linked to the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds has further solidified the impeachment case against impeached Vice President Sara Duterte, with lawmakers pointing out that these anomalies expose a pattern of alleged financial mismanagement and lack of accountability in handling public funds.
With the impeachment proceedings underway, Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union said these transactions form some of the strongest pieces of evidence that will be presented against Duterte.
“Isa po siya sa pinakamalakas na mapi-prisenta pero hindi muna ako siguro mag du-dwell into specifics since gagamitin nga po siya during the impeachment,” Ortega noted.
Ortega said the repeated emergence of fabricated names like “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Renan Piatos,” “Pia Piatos,” and even “Xiaome Ocho” reinforces the strength of the impeachment case.
“It’s the same premise po nung sa Mary Grace Piattos, ganon din po kabilang po sila, ‘yung pamilya Piattos, si Renan, si Pia Piatos at tsaka si Xiaome. They are the same situation po ng mga pangalan po na wala naman pong pagkatao,” Ortega said.
House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of Zambales emphasized that as the trial progresses, more details about the questionable fund disbursements will be brought to light, allowing the public to grasp the magnitude of the alleged abuse.
“Kita natin na talagang merong malawakang paglustay at maling paggamit ng pera lalong-lalo na ng confidential fund ng Office of the Vice President,” Khonghun alleged.
Khonghun said the impeachment trial would reveal the full extent of how fictitious names were allegedly used to liquidate confidential funds, raising serious concerns over the OVP’s financial practices.
“Well, dito natin makikita na meron talagang malawakang pang-aabuso dito sa paggamit ng confidential funds ng ating vice president,” Khonghun alleged.
“At dito lang napapatunayan na talagang hindi nila siguro pinag-ingatan ano ‘yung buong kanilang pagli-liquidate kaya nagmamadali silang humanap ano ng mga pangalan at talagang kung saan nila ipapangalan ‘yung kanilang mga perang inilalabas,” Khonghun added.
These fictitious names, Ortega said, were recorded as recipients of confidential funds, casting serious doubt on the validity of the OVP’s financial records.
“Tumanggap, nabigyan po ng confidential funds,” Ortega revealed.
He added that the continued discovery of alleged anomalous transactions strengthens the push for transparency and accountability in government spending.
“At habang tumatagal nga, nakakakita tayo ng mga pang-aabuso lalong lalo na dito sa mga hindi kapani-paniwalang pangalan na nakalista roon na tumanggap ng pangalan lalong lalo na sa confidential fund ng Office of the Vice President,” Khonghun said.
Ortega, meanwhile, assured that the prosecution is thoroughly reviewing thousands of receipts linked to the confidential funds to ensure that only verified and credible evidence will be presented at the impeachment trial.
“Definitely kasi more than one thousand so madami pa po iyan. Syempre careful naman po tayo sa pag-tread dyan kasi although government naman na, mga public documents pero syempre kailangan po maayos, hindi po tayo puedeng magbitaw na walang basehan at saka walang ebidensya,” he said.
