Vice President Sara Duterte has said that her office is open to the recommended audit of its confidential funds last fiscal year 2022.
The audit was recommended by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) party-list Rep. France Castro who questioned the OVP’s additional P125 million confidential funds.
“The seething disdain overwhelming France Castro these days is hardly concealed even by her capacity to string serious allegations against the Office of the Vice President over the 2022 Confidential Fund. We welcome the probe she recommended for the Commission on Audit to do on the 2022 OVP CF,” Duterte said in a statement on Friday.
The Vice President then blasted Castro, saying that she all did “was wildly and masterfully arrange some allegations" against her and her office.
Duterte said the House Minority leaders do not deserve an explanation "because she did not come to class prepared - like a good teacher."
"Meanwhile, I hope she finds gratification and great joy over the thought of my impeachment from office. Enjoy," she furthered.
During the budget hearing of the Commission on Audit (CoA) on Thursday, Castro brought up that the OVP should explain how it had an additional P125 million in the last six months of 2022 without congressional authorization.
"This is anomalous because it is not included in the line item. It is highly questionable because there is no actual obligation of P125 million confidential expenses to the Office of the Vice President," she said.
“Without such authorization, the strict rule prohibiting public disclosure of the use of confidential funds does not apply in this case,” the Makabayan solon added.
The state auditors, meanwhile, said it is presently in the process of checking the OVP’s documents.
