Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros has called for the amendment of the Commission on Audit (COA) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) rules on confidential and intelligence funds (CIF), following revelations of Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged questionable use of such funds.
During a recent House of Representatives hearing, it was disclosed that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent ₱16 million of its ₱125 million confidential funds in just 11 days in 2022, reportedly for the payment of safe houses.
Hontiveros expressed concerns over the potential for abuse, stating that the use of CIFs is “prone to misuse” and calling for stricter auditing and accountability measures, including the amendment of COA-DBM Joint Circular No. 2015-01, which governs CIF reporting and auditing.
The senator found the OVP’s expenditure concerning, noting that only incomplete “acknowledgement receipts” were provided as proof, lacking crucial details on the purpose and recipients of the funds.
Hontiveros also highlighted that the Department of Education, under Duterte’s leadership, used military certifications to justify ₱15 million in confidential fund disbursements for informants in 2023.
The OVP has dismissed the need for further inquiry into its budget use, claiming that the necessary data has already been provided and that the investigation does not serve a legislative purpose.