Allegations Surface Ahead of Senate Impeachment Trial
With the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte looming, fresh allegations about fake recipients of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) confidential funds have emerged. La Union 1st district Representative Paolo Ortega revealed several names that allegedly received these funds without legitimacy. Among these, seven names suspiciously resemble those of Philippine senators, raising serious concerns about the authenticity of the transactions.
These senator-sounding names include “Beth Revilla,” “Janice Marie Revilla,” “Diane Maple Lapid,” “John A. Lapid Jr.,” “Clarisse Hontiveros,” “Kristine Applegate Estrada,” and “Denise Tanya Escudero.” The exact list of supposed beneficiaries has drawn sharp criticism, especially since the 24 sitting senators will act as judges during the impeachment trial. The charges against Duterte include the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
Questionable Names Raise Further Doubts on Fund Usage
The revelation of these unusual names has prompted calls for closer scrutiny. Ortega, who serves as a House deputy majority leader, emphasized the seriousness of the issue, describing the irregularities as “too glaring to ignore.” He referred to the group of suspicious names as possibly linked to a so-called “Budol Gang,” pointing to a deeper problem within the OVP’s handling of funds.
This is not the first time such names have surfaced. Last year, the name “Mary Grace Piattos” sparked alarm among lawmakers, as it seemed to combine the name of a popular local café with a snack brand. Such anomalies raised questions about whether confidential funds were being properly accounted for.
On the same day, Ortega also pointed out other newly discovered names on acknowledgment receipts, including “Cannor Adrian Contis” and individuals with the surname “Solon,” such as Kris Solon and Paul M. Solon. This surname is similar to that of Sarangani’s lone district representative, adding another layer of suspicion.
Distinctive Patterns in Fictitious Names
Ortega sarcastically noted, “Hindi lang pala si Mary Grace Piattos ang may kapangalan na café-restaurant, pati pala Contis. Kapag ba may confidential funds ang opisina mo, may sweet tooth ka din?” (It turns out that Mary Grace Piattos isn’t the only one whose name matches a café-restaurant — Conti’s does too. If your office has confidential funds, does that mean you have a sweet tooth as well?)
He also expressed disbelief that even the surnames of respected senators were being used in these dubious entries. “Pambihira dinadamay pati mga apelyido ng ating esteemed senators. Ganyan po kagarapal ang listahan ng supposed beneficiaries ng OVP confidential funds,” he said. (Unbelievable — even the surnames of our esteemed senators are being dragged into this. That’s how shameless the list of supposed beneficiaries of the OVP confidential funds is.)
Calls for Accountability and Verification
Ortega stressed that if the OVP repeatedly used fictitious names, they must prove that real individuals stand behind each one. Otherwise, the suspicious list itself could serve as evidence of corruption during the Senate trial. “Kung paulit-ulit na gumamit ang OVP ng fictitious names, meron silang obligasyong patunayan na may tunay na tao sa likod ng bawat pangalan. At kung wala, mismong listahan ang magiging ebidensya ng katiwalian sa Senado,” he added. (If the OVP repeatedly used fictitious names, they have an obligation to prove that there are real individuals behind each one. And if there aren’t, the list itself will serve as evidence of corruption in the Senate.)
The lawmaker believes the frequency and creativity of these questionable names suggest a systemic effort to obscure confidential fund transactions. Further investigations revealed that many of the newly discovered names do not appear in official records from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), such as birth, marriage, or death certificates.
Previously Flagged Suspicious Names
Earlier reports identified other dubious names allegedly benefiting from Duterte-controlled confidential funds. These include Honeylet Camille Sy, Feonna Biong, Feonna Villegas, and Joel Linangan from the OVP, as well as Fiona Ranitez, Erwin Q. Ewan, Ellen Magellan, Gary Tanada, Beverly Claire Pampano, Mico Harina, Ralph Josh Bacon, Patty Ting, Sala Casim, Amoy Liu, Fernan Amuy, Joug De Asim, and Xiaome Ocho.
As the impeachment trial approaches, these allegations put the spotlight on the integrity of confidential fund management within the Vice President’s office, urging transparency and accountability.
For more news and updates on allegations of fake beneficiaries, visit Filipinokami.com.