P125 million confidential funds ni VP Sara Duterte, tinuligsa ng mambabatas

TINULIGSA ni House Deputy Minority Leader at ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro ang idinepensang P125 million confidential funds na nakalaan sa opisina ni Vice President Sara Duterte.

Ayon sa mambabatas, ang kontrobersiyal na kaso ay hindi lamang “theoretical” kundi naging sanhi para hindi mailaan ang naturang milyong pisong pondo sa mga Pilipino na mas nangangailangan.

Sinabi ng mambabatas na nilabag ng illegal at unconstitutional transfer ng P125M sa Office of the Vice President para sa confidential funds ang lahat ng rules sa tamang paggamit ng naturang pondo.

“It represents a massive redirection of public resources away from essential services and towards opaque purposes with no accountability. It is a glaring example of bureaucrat capitalism and should be stopped,” ani Castro.

Tinukoy  ni Castro ang petition na inihan niya kasama ang iba pang miyembro ng Makabayan Bloc sa Supreme Court na kumukuwestiyon sa constitutionality ng confidential funds na ibinigay sa opisina ng VP noong 2022.

Ang pondo ay mabilis na nagamit sa loob ng 11-araw lamang, ayon sa Commission on Audit.

“The petitioners, including myself, Reps. Brosas and Manuel, former Reps. Zarate, Gaite, Cullamat, Palatino, and Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares, are seeking the restitution of these P125 million in public funds that were unlawfully used with no oversight. We have asked the Supreme Court to direct COA to fully audit how this money was spent,” dagdag ni Castro.

Sinabi ni Castro na sa 2022 national budget ay walang alokasyon sa anumang confidential funds para sa civilian agencies tulad ng Office of the Vice President.

“There was no congressional authorization for the OVP to receive and spend P125 million in confidential funds, in clear violation of our laws,” giit pa nito. (Vina de Guzman)