MAAARING mapatalsik sa puwesto si Vice President Sara Duterte dahil ang paglulustay ng confidential funds ay isang impeachable offense, ayon kay House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro
“Di naman pwedeng gagawa ng kalokohan tapos pababayaan na lang, dapat may accountability. Her misuse of Confidential Funds is an impeachable offense,” sabi ni Castro.
“Sa paglulustay ng confidential funds, sa panahong kulang na kulang ang pondo para sa serbisyong publiko, at sa pagtangging ipaliwanag ito sa taumbayan, malinaw na may batayan ang impeachment,” giit ng teacher solon.
Ang pahayag ni Castro ay kaugnay sa Notice of Disallowance ng Commission on Audit (COA) na nagtampok sa paglulustay ng confidential funds ng Office of the Vice President noong 2022.
Hiniling ng COA na ibalik ang P73 milyon sa P125 milyon na ginasta ng OVP sa loob ng 11 araw noong Disyembre 2022.
Isiniwalat ni Castro sa House Appropriations Committee’s budget briefing sa panukalang budget ng OVP na ginastos ni Duterteang P125 milyon sa loob ng 11 araw upang magsagawa ng “surveillance” sa 132 lugar.
Batay sa Accomplishment Report na isinumite ng OVP sa COA na nakuha ng Kamara sa pamamagitan ng subpoena, ang nasabing halaga ay napunta sa:
Purchase of Information – 14 milyon
Payment of Reward – 10 milyon
Rental of Other Incidental Expenses relative to the Maintenance of safe Houses – 16 milyon
Provision of Medical and Food Aid – 35 milyon
Payment of Incentives or Travelling relative to the Confidential Information – 10 milyon
Sa kabubuuang halaga na P125 milyon ay nag-isyu ang COA ng Notice of Disallowance para sa P73.287 milyon na ginasta sa:
Reward Payment – P10 milyon
Payment of Reward (Various Goods) – P34.857 milyon
Payment of Reward (Medicines) – P24.930 milyon
Payment for tables, chairs, desktop computers, and printers – P3.5 milyon
Binigyan diin ni Castro na hindi pinayagan ng COA ang tatlong klase ng rewards (cash, goods, and medicines) dahil nabigo si Duterte na magpakita ng katibayan sa tagumoay ng surveillance operations na magbibigay katuwiran sa nasabing kabayaran.
Maging ang pagbili ng furniture at office equipment ay hindi rin pinahintulutan ng COA dahil hindi nakapagpakita si Duterte ng ebidensya na ito’y para sa isinakatuparang surveillance operations.
“The special provision on Confidential Funds in the General Appropriations Act specifically mandates compliance with that Joint Circular. VP Duterte broke the law. The COA’s findings reveal a glaring misuse of public funds,” giit ni Castro.
“It’s becoming apparent that Duterte was banking on the supposed veil of secrecy around Confidential Funds to hide her unlawful use of people’s money. This is a clear betrayal of public trust,” added Castro. “We in the Makabayan bloc stand by our call that confidential funds should be abolished because these secret discretionary funds are really prone to corruption.”
“Let me just emphasize the absurdity of what the Vice President claims in her accomplishment report. She spent 125 million by holding 132 surveillance activities, where she gave out a total of 99 million in payment and rewards (in cash and in kind), presumably to informers, and spent 26 million for travel expenses and safe houses. All during the last 11 days of 2022, including the Christmas and yearend holidays. This story simply does not hold up.”
Ani Castro, pareho ang pattern ng paggasta ni Duterte sa P375 milyon sa P500 million sa Confidential Funds na inilaan sa OVP noong 2023.
“In short, Duterte’s misuse of funds apparently continued into the next year and could involve a much higher amount,” sabi ng teacher solon.
“Her stonewalling on legitimate questions from members of the House regarding her use of public funds showed utter disrespect for the basic principles of check-and-balance, transparency, and accountability of public officials entrusted with the people’s money, all of which are enshrined in the Constitution that she swore to uphold.” (ROSE NOVENARIO)