The Supreme Court has issued a resolution ordering Vice President Sara Duterte and other government officials to respond to the petition questioning the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) ₱125 million confidential and intelligence fund (CIF) in 2022.
A notice penned by SC Clerk of Court Marife Lomibao-Cuevas was released on Monday, Dec. 4.
Under the notice, SC gives 10 days to Duterte and other respondents to respond to the said petition.
"Please take notice that the Court en banc issued a Resolution dated November 14, 2023, which reads as follows: (a) Require the respondents to comment thereon within 10 days from notice hereof," Cuevas said.
The SC Clerk of Court said the Supreme Court also ordered the petitioners to comply with the requirement within five days.
Vice President Sara Duterte pinasasagot ng Korte Suprema kaugnay sa petisyon na kumukuwestiyon sa legalidad ng ₱125 million confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) ng kanyang tanggapan | RH 29 Boy Gonzales#RapidoHatawBalita
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In November, a group, composed of various professionals, filed a petition questioning the constitutionality of the transfer of ₱125 million from the Office of President's contingency funds to the OVP's CIF.
The petitioners are lawyers Barry Gutierrez, Christian Monsod, and Ray Paolo Santiago, former Finance Undersecretary Maria Cielo Magno, former Commission on Election commissioner Agusto Lagman, Katrina Monsod, Honorio Poblador III, Vicente Romano III, Rex Drilon II, and Miguel Jugo.
The respondents are the OVP as represented by Duterte, the Office of the Executive Secretary as represented by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, and the Department of Budget and Management as represented by DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
The group of professionals asks the SC to declare the "declare the transfer as unconstitutional" and order the OVP to return the ₱125 million "to the government's treasury."
