HOUSE Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation Chairman Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur on Monday said Vice President Sara Duterte should stop using baseless accusations of corruption as smokescreen and instead confront the serious and well-documented allegations against her, which are detailed in the Articles of Impeachment now pending before the Senate.
“VP Sara keeps pointing fingers to divert attention, but the facts are clear—what needs to be answered are the questionable disbursements of confidential funds under her watch, not imaginary corruption in the House of Representatives,” said Adiong, a House Assistant Majority Leader.
Adiong said the allegations against the Vice President stemmed from the findings of the Commission on Audit and documented disbursement records from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The Articles of Impeachment accused Duterte of spending P125 million in confidential funds in just 11 days in December 2022, at a time when the OVP had no official budgetary authority to use such funds.
She is also accused of authorizing the release of P112.5 million in confidential funds at the DepEd, where she served as Secretary before.
These funds were reportedly disbursed to alleged intelligence assets with suspicious names such as “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Kokoy Villamin,” “Xiaome Ocho” and “Jay Camote” —names that appear to be fictitious and have raised questions on the authenticity of the transactions.
“These are not political narratives but findings backed by audit observations and sworn testimonies,” Adiong said.
Adiong added: “The Vice President should stop diverting attention from her own accountability. The impeachment trial is fast approaching, and it is in the Senate where the truth will be laid bare.”
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