MANILA, Philippines – Hindi layong mang-harass ng sinuman ang pahayag ng Commission on Audit (COA) sa notice of disallowance sa disbursement ng Office of the Vice President na P73 milyon ng confidential funds noong 2022 at dumaan sa due process, ayon kay House Committee on Public Accounts chairperson Terry Ridon nitong Biyernes, Abril 17.
Ipinagtanggol ni Ridon, miyembro ng House Committee on Justice, ang findings ng COA at sinabing hindi ito politically motivated at naabot matapos ang ilang taon ng audit, pagsusuri at validation.
“This did not happen overnight. These findings are the result of a three-year audit process conducted by the Commission on Audit, a constitutional body mandated to examine the use of public funds,” saad sa pahayag ng solon.
“If this were political, it would have been rushed. Instead, it took three years. That is not harassment—that is due process,” dagdag pa niya.
Noong Martes kasi ay sinabi ng opisyal mula sa
Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office ng COA sa House Committee on Justice na mayroong notice of disallowance sa disbursement ng OVP sa P73 milyong confidential funds mula Disyembre 21 hanggang 31, 2022.
Partikular na hindi pinayagan ng COA ang mahigit P69 milyong bayad bilang reward sa cash, sa produkto, at sa mga gamot sa informants, at sinabing ito ay dapat na suportado ng kinakailangang dokumento na nagpapatunay na ang information-gathering at surveillance operations ay matagumpay.
Tumanggi namang magkomento ang OVP sa isyu.
“The Office of the Vice President has not received a copy of the Commission on Audit decision presented at the House Committee on Justice hearing on April 14, 2026. Therefore, we cannot comment at this time,” ayon sa OVP.
Ani Ridon, ang findings ng COA ay mahalaga sa nagpapatuloy na impeachment proceedings laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Iginiit niya na ang impeachment ay hindi isang determination of guilt, ngunit isang constitutional mechanism upang matukoy kung may sapat na batayan para litisin ito sa Senado.
“This is about probable cause, not conviction. The purpose is to allow the evidence—including COA findings—to be examined in the proper forum,” aniya. RNT/JGC
