Ombudsman Samuel Martires believes that Vice President Sara Duterte must still explain the use of "fictitious" names in the acknowledgment receipts related to the confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
In an exclusive interview with DZRH's Damdaming Bayan on Friday, Martires revealed that, aside from “Mary Grace Piattos,” other names surfaced during the House investigation, such as “Fernando Tempura,” “Carlos Miguel Oishi,” “Reymunda Jane Nova,” and “Chippy McDonald,” all of which are derived from well-known brands in the country.
According to Martires, Vice President Sara Duterte should explain who is behind the fictitious names and why they were used.
He emphasized that the public has the right to know how the confidential funds were utilized, especially now that the House is conducting an investigation.
"Siguro dapat ipaliwanag ng Bise Presidente [kung] sino ba itong mga taong ito. Kung fictitious man 'yon, bakit siya gumamit ng fictitious na pangalan? You have to justify that," Martires said.
Martires pointed out that the Commission on Audit (COA) regularly scrutinizes confidential funds, not only within the OVP and DepEd but also across various government agencies. This is in accordance with the quarterly reports they submit to COA.
However, Martires stated that it is still within the rights of the House to investigate the confidential funds of any agency, as long as it is in aid of legislation or for the passage of a law.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) previously reported that there were no records found for Mary Grace Piattos, an alleged recipient of confidential funds from the OVP.
