By Jose Cielito Reganit | Philippine News Agency
Forensic examiners from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) revealed to the House of Representatives Committee on Justice on Tuesday that handwritten entries on some acknowledgment receipts from alleged beneficiaries of Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential funds were written by a few persons.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag and forensic examiner Carolyn Pitoy presented a four-page report on their review of 36 acknowledgment receipts.
Pitoy said the bureau found that as few as seven individuals may have written all 36 receipts.
“There are seven groups of handwritten receipts that were found to be written by one and the same person. Pitong magkakagrupo po, na bawat grupo, isang tao lang ang sumulat,” she told the House panel.
Pitoy said that while seven individuals are one possibility, a single person may have written only the dates, only the names, only the signatures or any combination of the three.
In its examination, the NBI analyzed the form, structural pattern, direction of line strokes, alignment, and manner of execution of the handwriting found across the 36 acknowledgment receipts.
The other names of alleged confidential fund recipients with questionable signatures or handwriting include Jason Bitangcol, Selsa Arojable, Samson Samuel, Hedda Claribelita Tamayo, Jayson Reignold Ngo, Joseph Caraceo, Raymond Mamon, Angel Marie Abrigo, Anthony Santos, Sabel Salazar, and Milky Secuya.
The alleged anomalies in the receipts were first flagged during the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability’s 2024 investigation into the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Lawmakers first raised concerns about allegedly “fictitious names” on the documents during that inquiry, including the infamous “Mary Grace Piattos.”
The findings have since raised questions about whether the funds ever reached the intended recipients.
FPJ Panday Bayanihan Rep. Brian Poe and Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores both asked the NBI whether it also conducted a forensic examination on the roughly 4,000 remaining acknowledgment receipts.
The NBI clarified that it had examined only what the House had requested, particularly the 36 acknowledgment receipts.
Matibag, however, assured the committee that the NBI is “more than willing to examine all the documents” should the panel request it.
No PSA records
Meanwhile, an official of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) told the Committee on Justice that hundreds of names listed on acknowledgment receipts are tied to the confidential funds.
Marizza Grande, Assistant National Statistician representing National Statistician Dennis Mapa, confirmed that the PSA had brought and submitted the certifications dated Dec. 8 and 11, 2024.
Out of 677 names submitted for verification, Grande said 405 had no record of birth, 507 had no record of death, 443 had no record of marriage, and 398 unique persons have no record of birth, marriage or death in PSA records.
She also confirmed that out of 1,922 names submitted, 1,322 had no record of birth, 1,593 had no record of death, 1,456 had no record of marriage, and 1,287 unique persons had no record of birth, marriage, or death.
These include the names Mary Grace Piattos, Milky Secuya, and Kokoy Villamin.
P73-M confidential funds disallowance affirmed
On the other hand, the Commission on Audit (COA) denied the appeal of the Office of the Vice President and affirmed the disallowance of P73.28 million in confidential fund spending for December 2022.
Auditor Gloria Camora, team leader of the COA Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office that audited the OVP, disclosed the ruling.
“The Commission Proper has [already decided] on the appeal. They affirmed our disallowance,” Camora told the panel.
“Wherefore, the Petition for Review, treated as appeal, of Ms. Sara Duterte, Vice President; Ms. Gina Acosta, Special Disbursing Officer, and Ms. Julieta Villadelrey, Chief Accountant, Office of the Vice President, is hereby denied. Accordingly, Notice of Disallowance No. 2024-002-100 dated August 8, 2024, on the confidential expenses of the OVP for the period from December 21 to 31, 2022, in the amount of P73,287,000.00, is affirmed,” Camora said, reading the dispositive portion of the ruling.
The ruling, dated April 10, 2026, was signed by COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba and Commissioners Mario Lipana and Douglas Mallillin.
The disallowed amount forms part of the P125 million in confidential funds that the OVP disbursed and liquidated in just 11 days in December 2022, including P69.787 million for “rewards” and P3.5 million for items such as tables, chairs, and computers.
Camora affirmed that disallowance stemmed from the OVP’s failure to justify the link between the expenses and confidential or intelligence activities.
Luistro ordered the COA to submit the ruling and related documents.
“We are requesting Atty. Camora to provide the committee a copy of the decision denying the appeal as well as the three notices of disallowance within three days,” Luistro said.
Camora also disclosed that COA has issued notices of disallowance covering the OVP’s confidential fund use for the first, second, and third quarters of 2023, confirming that the amount is subject to restitution following the denial of the OVP’s appeal. (PNA)
