House wraps up OVP, DepEd funds probe amid impeachment raps

MANILA, Philippines — After seven hearings on how Vice President Sara Duterte spent her offices’ confidential funds, the House good government committee is scheduled to wrap up its legislative probe on Monday, December 9. 

Rep. Joel Chua (Manila, 3rd District) announced on Sunday, December 8, that the panel he leads will no longer continue the investigation on confidential funds given that Duterte is already facing two impeachment complaints.

"Impeachment complaints have already been filed against our Vice President, so we deemed it appropriate to wrap up this investigation on (confidential funds) as well," he said in Filipino in an interview with DZBB Super Radyo 594. 

He added that the committee is prepared to summarize its findings and will propose measures addressing the handling, accounting and auditing of confidential funds this week.

“On Monday, only the members will meet. We will wrap up the discussion on confidential funds and summarize what transpired,” he said. 

Should the House Committee on Justice require the good government panel's findings for the impeachment deliberations, Chua said they would be made available.

Two impeachment complaints were filed by various civil society groups against Duterte on December 2 and 4, respectively. 

Both complaints cited the committee’s findings of alleged anomalies in confidential fund expenditures as grounds for impeachment.

The committee initially planned to invite two security officers involved in disbursing confidential fund payments and rewards. However, the chair said this is no longer necessary, as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has started its own investigation.

According to former Department of Education (DepEd) special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, he gave the P112.5 million confidential funds to colonel Dennis Nolasco in varying amounts on a weekly basis. 

He said Nolasco was responsible for delivering the payments and providing him with the acknowledgment receipts. 

RELATED: DepEd, OVP disbursing officers: 'Security officers' handled confidential funds

Gina Acosta, special disbursing officer of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), shared a similar testimony for the P500 million