Stella Quimbo bares OVP's P125M confidential funds spent in just 11 days

MANILA, Philippines (Updated September 25, 2:52 p.m.) — The Office of the Vice President spent its P125 million confidential funds in just 11 days — even shorter than the 19 days initially detailed by Makabayan lawmakers, Rep. Stella Quimbo (Marikina) revealed during budget plenary debates at the House of Representatives.

Vice President Sara Duterte has repeatedly refused to detail how her office spent the secret funds she obtained in 2022 from the Office of the President, relying instead on statements name-calling her critics and on her allies — including Quimbo — to insist there was nothing improper in the expenditure.

During the lower chamber’s plenary debates for the proposed 2024 budget on Monday, Quimbo said that she was also “surprised” to read in news articles that the P125 lump sum was spent in just 19 days.

But it was actually spent in just 11 days based on the Commission on Audit (COA) records, Quimbo said.

“The truth is, I was also surprised when I read the news that it seemed to have been spent in 19 days. I asked COA and looked at various reports, but it was not spent in 19 days but in 11 days,” Quimbo said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Quimbo was responding to a question by Rep. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s Party), who asked whether the COA can confirm if the P125 million fund was spent in just 19 days.

The lawmaker answered on behalf of COA because she sponsored the budget proposal of the agency in the plenary, as practiced in House procedures.

After Quimbo’s response, Brosas turned to fellow Makabayan bloc lawmaker Rep. France Castro (ACT Teacher) in shock and clarified with Quimbo whether the figure was correct.

“If that's surveillance, how many reward payments would that be, reaching 11