Manila: Vice President Sara Duterte continues to hold activities such as tree planting, Christmas parties, and road-safety events even without confidential funds, raising questions about the need to spend millions of pesos from such funds for similar activities, House prosecutor Rep. Keith Flores (2nd District, Bukidnon) said Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Flores made the observation in reaction to the testimony of Commission on Audit (COA) state auditor Xylene Del Campo on the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP). Del Campo had earlier testified about documents showing various activities that the OVP listed to justify the use of confidential funds, including tree planting, Christmas parties, and other community-related events.
"Yet we still see the VP doing the same activities now, tree planting, Christmas party and other activities na walang (without) confidential funds," Flores said in a press conference. He questioned the necessity of spending large amounts for activities that are still being conducted successfully and safely without confidential funds. Flores argued that if these activities can be carried out without the funds now, it raises doubts about their initial need.
Flores further suggested that these ongoing activities weaken the argument that confidential funds were essential for the Vice President's security. He mentioned road-safety activities as an example, noting that such events are also conducted by other government officials, including regional directors, who do not have access to confidential funds.
Prosecution spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (1st District, Lanao del Sur) also questioned the requirement for the OVP to allocate confidential funds for activities that could be managed through regular government security operations. Adiong pointed out that agencies with a direct security mandate already possess the personnel and resources to perform routine police and security work, suggesting that the OVP should only augment these efforts rather than duplicate them.
Adiong emphasized that regular police work could provide necessary protection for the Vice President's public engagements. He cited the example of attending public events, where existing police capabilities should suffice without the need for additional spending.
The prosecution is presenting the COA officials' testimony as part of its case in the impeachment trial of Duterte involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds of the OVP and the Department of Education.
