Questions Remain on Allegedly Fictitious Confidential Fund Recipients
MANILA — Lawmakers are urging the public and officials to focus on unresolved issues surrounding the allegedly fictitious individuals who received confidential fund (CF) payouts. The controversy continues to fuel debates, especially amid calls to dismiss the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon recently addressed Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri’s remarks labeling the impeachment as a “witch-hunt” aimed merely at ousting Duterte. Ridon countered that the impeachment is grounded on unanswered questions—most notably, the identity of Mary Grace Piattos, a name tied to CF disbursements.
“We have seen the names, we knew who Mary Grace Piattos is, we saw that there were peculiar names which do not exist in our Philippine Statistics Office database, no birth certificate, no marriage certificate, no death certificate,” Ridon said in Filipino. He emphasized that these discoveries justify the pursuit of truth rather than dismissing the impeachment as baseless.
Hunt for Truth Drives Impeachment Process
Ridon stressed the importance of investigating the matter thoroughly. “We have to hunt for the truth, accountability, and transparency,” he said. “The impeachment process is crucial. Last Congress, lawmakers had enough grounds to approve and forward the articles against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate.”
He also noted that the Senate rules and the Constitution prevent any motion to dismiss once the impeachment court convenes, underscoring the urgency to proceed with the trial.
Confidential Fund Misuse Sparks Controversy
The debate over confidential funds intensified in 2024 after investigations revealed strange names signing acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for expenses from Duterte’s offices—the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and formerly the Department of Education (DepEd).
ARs serve as proof to the Commission on Audit that funds reached their intended recipients, typically confidential informants. However, Antipolo City Representative Romeo Acop pointed out that one of the signatories, Mary Grace Piattos, bears a name resembling a local restaurant and a potato chip brand.
Further scrutiny by Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong revealed two ARs—one from the OVP and another from DepEd—both acknowledged by a Kokoy Villamin, but with noticeably different signatures and handwriting styles. Neither name appears in the Philippine Statistics Authority database.
More Strange Names Surface in Investigations
Following these discoveries, additional odd names surfaced. La Union Representative Paolo Ortega V presented lists containing names similar to public officials, multiple “Fionas,” a “Magellan,” and a person with the surname “Ewan,” which humorously means “I don’t know” in Filipino slang.
Ortega also released names resembling grocery items and even a phone brand, “Xiaome Ocho.” These findings were incorporated into the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte, which 215 House members verified on February 5.
Besides the CF issue, the impeachment articles include allegations of assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Impeachment Trial Faces Procedural Delays
The constitution mandates that the Senate commence the impeachment trial once at least one-third of House members endorse the complaint. Despite this, the trial has been delayed because the articles were not forwarded to the Senate plenary before the session adjourned on February 5.
Senator Zubiri mentioned a possible start on the first session day of the 20th Congress, potentially hours before President Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Address.
For more news and updates on confidential fund recipients, visit Filipinokami.com.