Michael Poa is no longer OVP spokesman; his consultancy contract ended

FILE PHOTO: Michael Poa. – Poa is no longer connected with and has ceased as spokesperson of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), which pre-terminated his consultancy contract. Poa made this revelation before members of the House committee on good governance and public accountability on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, following a question raised by the panel chairperson, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua.|The committee has been investigating the alleged misuse of public funds at the OVP under Vice President Sara Duterte. PHOTO: RTVM / PCO website

MANILA, Philippines — Lawyer Michael Poa is no longer connected with and has ceased as spokesperson of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), which pre-terminated his consultancy contract.

Poa made this revelation before members of the House committee on good government and public accountability on Tuesday, following a question raised by the panel chairperson, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua.

The committee has been investigating the alleged misuse of public funds at the OVP under Vice President Sara Duterte.

Chua asked Poa if he was still working for OVP, to which Poa replied: “I would like to inform the honorable committee that I’m no longer connected with the OVP. My consultancy contract was already pre-terminated.”

“I’m also no longer a spokesperson,” he likewise said in mixed Filipino and English.

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Chua was quizzing Poa regarding seven OVP officials who were the subject of the House panel’s probe into alleged government funds misuse.

The committee earlier issued a lookout bulletin against OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez; Assistant Chief of Staff and Bids and Awards Committee Chair Lemuel Ortonio; Administrative and Financial Services Director Rosalynne Sanchez; Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Gina Acosta; Chief Accountant Juleita Villadelrey; former Department of Education Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda; and SDO Edward Fajarda.

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The lookout bulletin followed the issuance of subpoenas against the seven OVP officials who repeatedly skipped the House committee hearings.

Poa was appointed as OVP spokesperson in August 2023.