'Confidential fund misuse impeachable'
HOUSE Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on Friday said Vice President Sara Duterte could be impeached if proven she misused her office's confidential funds.Castro said in a statement that Duterte's wasteful use of P125 million in just 11 days, which prompted the Commission on Audit (CoA) to demand the return of P73 million of disallowed funds from her office, was a possible ground for impeachment.Castro revealed details of the disallowed funds during the House Appropriations Panel hearing on the proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP)."Squandering confidential funds in a time when the government lacked funds for public service and blatant refusal to answer questions on the matter was a basis for impeachment," Castro said in Filipino.The OVP's accomplishment report on the use of confidential funds submitted to the CoA was obtained by the House of Representatives through a subpoena.Castro said during the hearing that Duterte claimed that the P125 million were used in 11 days to conduct surveillance in 132 areas, purchase information, pay rewards, rent and maintain safe houses, provide medical and food aid, and pay for incentives or travel fees relative to confidential information."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," Castro said.In response, CoA issued a notice of disallowance amounting to P73.287 million because it disallowed three types of rewards: cash, goods and medicines.It said Duterte failed to show proof of success of the surveillance operations that would merit such payment.The purchase of furniture and office equipment was disallowed by CoA after Duterte failed to prove that the items were intended for surveillance operations.Castro said such purchases did not comply with Joint Circular 2015-01, which only mandates specific uses of confidential funds."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," she said.Castro said Duterte banked on the "veil of secrecy" around confidential funds to "hide her unlawful use of people's money," which she said was tantamount to betrayal of public trust."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," she added.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
HOUSE Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on Friday said Vice President Sara Duterte could be impeached if proven she misused her office's confidential funds.
Castro said in a statement that Duterte's wasteful use of P125 million in just 11 days, which prompted the Commission on Audit (CoA) to demand the return of P73 million of disallowed funds from her office, was a possible ground for impeachment.
Castro revealed details of the disallowed funds during the House Appropriations Panel hearing on the proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
"Squandering confidential funds in a time when the government lacked funds for public service and blatant refusal to answer questions on the matter was a basis for impeachment," Castro said in Filipino.
The OVP's accomplishment report on the use of confidential funds submitted to the CoA was obtained by the House of Representatives through a subpoena.
Castro said during the hearing that Duterte claimed that the P125 million were used in 11 days to conduct surveillance in 132 areas, purchase information, pay rewards, rent and maintain safe houses, provide medical and food aid, and pay for incentives or travel fees relative to confidential information.
"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," Castro said.
In response, CoA issued a notice of disallowance amounting to P73.287 million because it disallowed three types of rewards: cash, goods and medicines.
It said Duterte failed to show proof of success of the surveillance operations that would merit such payment.
The purchase of furniture and office equipment was disallowed by CoA after Duterte failed to prove that the items were intended for surveillance operations.
Castro said such purchases did not comply with Joint Circular 2015-01, which only mandates specific uses of confidential funds.
"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," she said.
Castro said Duterte banked on the "veil of secrecy" around confidential funds to "hide her unlawful use of people's money," which she said was tantamount to betrayal of public trust.
"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," she added.
