Controversy arose as Marikina Representative Stella Quimbo revealed that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) had spent P125 million in confidential funds in just 11 days, contrary to the earlier reported 19 days.
The funds, transferred by the Office of the President (OP), had previously been defended by Quimbo, who is the senior vice chairperson of the House Appropriations Committee.
Last month, ACT Teachers Representative France Castro had claimed that the OVP spent the entire P125 million allocated for “newly created satellite offices” within 19 days.
However, Quimbo, the Commission on Audit’s (COA) sponsor during the 2024 budget debates, clarified the discrepancy and stated, “I was shocked when I read reports that it was spent within 19 days, so I asked the COA and reviewed different reports. It wasn’t spent in 19 days, but just 11 days.”
Quimbo cited that the OVP submitted its liquidation report on January 17, 2023, and received an audit observation memorandum (AOM) on September 18, 2023.
The COA has requested additional documents and is expected to submit a full report on the OVP’s 2022 budget by November 15, as the audit is ongoing. The OVP, however, has yet to receive the AOM, according to spokesperson Atty. Reynold Munsayac.
The fund transfer from the OP, including the P125 million in confidential funds, has sparked criticism and has been labeled by some lawmakers as illegal and unconstitutional.
In response to concerns about transparency, Quimbo has proposed the creation of a House Special Oversight Committee for Confidential and Intelligence Funds, consisting of the House Speaker and select lawmakers.
The Department of Budget and Management has maintained that the fund transfer to the OVP did not bypass Congressional power.
Meanwhile, scrutiny of the OVP’s budget continues, with Senator Risa Hontiveros expressing intentions to examine the agency’s allocations closely. The debate on the OVP’s budget in the Senate is pending.