Lawmakers are looking into the possibility that the other suspected “fictitious” signatories in the acknowledgment receipts from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) might also be spurious.
The revelation came after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that one of the signatories; Mary Grace Piattos, has no records of birth, marriage, or death in their Civil Registry System (CRS).
In a press conference on Tuesday, TINGOG Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre and Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman said that the PSA’s recent confirmation is a sign of strengthening the House Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation on the misuse of confidential funds.
“In effect, that certification means that Mary Grace Piattos does not exist, and that has serious implications,” Roman said.
“When you submit documents to the Commission on Audit (COA), na mayroong tao na nagngangalang Mary Grace Piattos na nag jujustify ng certain gastos, pero napatunayan mong wala; parang merong element of fraud doon,” she added.
With that, Roman noted that the Quad Comm also needs to consider the recent development with the signatories.
Acidre echoed Roman’s sentiments adding that it came directly from PSA.
“Maganda na nanggaling na mismo sa PSA ang pagtitibay na wala hong tao na nagngangalang Mary Grace Piattos,” he said.
Acidre urged the Blue Ribbon Committee to look into the implications of the PSA’s recent confirmation.
“Sabi nga natin, kapag may nakita tayong mali sa isa, hindi malayong ganoon na din yung iba,” he said.
From a legal standpoint, Acidre said that there is a basis for an investigation on the acknowledgment receipts alone to ensue; as it's possible that other signatories like Mary Grace Piattos, might also be spurious.
