The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the misuse of P375 million in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2023, echoing similar issues identified in the 2022 CIF disbursements under Vice President Sara Duterte, a press release from the House of Representatives said.
This recurring lack of transparency has drawn criticism from lawmakers, particularly 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, who described it as a “repeated pattern of fund mismanagement.”
Gutierrez noted that this pattern has resulted in another Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) from COA, which could escalate into a Notice of Disallowance (ND), as happened with the OVP’s 2022 CIF disbursements.
“The OVP’s CIF for 2023 reflects the same deficiencies as those highlighted in the 2022 report, indicating a troubling lack of accountability and transparency in handling these funds,” Gutierrez stated in a separate interview. “This is public money, not a personal slush fund. Repeated, templated reporting without detailed justification only raises suspicions of misuse.”
During the hearing, COA representatives confirmed that P375 million out of the P500 million disbursed by the OVP for CIF in 2023 has also raised concerns. When asked if the issues with the 2023 disbursements were similar to those from 2022, COA officials acknowledged many similarities.
To recall, Vice President Duterte received P125 million in confidential funds, which her office spent in just 11 days in December 2022. Last month, COA issued an ND for P73.28 million of that amount, citing improper use and violations of government regulations.
Gutierrez stressed that while the AOM is still in its initial stages, the similarities to the 2022 ND cannot be ignored.
He underscored the importance of accountability, pointing out that even though an AOM may not carry the same weight as an ND, it still signals serious concerns, as an ND could eventually require the return of the funds.
Gutierrez further warned that the OVP had been given multiple chances to explain and justify its CIF expenditures since 2023, but COA had to issue the Notice of Disallowance due to insufficient documentation. He stressed that if the Vice President cannot properly account for these funds, she could be required to return the disallowed amounts to the government.
Public scrutiny of the OVP’s CIFs has intensified, especially as ordinary Filipinos face economic challenges.
As Congress prepares to deliberate on future budget allocations, Gutierrez urged his colleagues to scrutinize the OVP’s financial practices to ensure that public funds are used to genuinely benefit the Filipino people.*
