Two Department of Education (DepEd) officials revealed to lawmakers that they had received cash envelopes from Vice President Sara Duterte in 2023, when she was still the education secretary. DepEd Director Resty Osias testified during a House hearing that he was given four envelopes containing between P12,000 and P15,000 on separate occasions. The envelopes were handed to him by then Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda, who was not present at the hearing.
Osias mentioned that he initially believed this to be a common practice within DepEd, as he was unaware of the contents of the envelopes at first. Former DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa also admitted to receiving cash envelopes from both Fajarda and Duterte, but he did not provide clear reasons for the money. The testimonies have raised questions about the use of DepEd’s confidential funds under Duterte’s leadership, with lawmakers seeking further clarity on the matter.
Additionally, the House panel found that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent P16 million on safe house rentals in 11 days in 2022, part of the OVP’s confidential funds. Lawmakers have called on Duterte to testify and clarify how these funds were used.
