OVP execs who skipped House probe cited for contempt, ordered arrested

Department of Education Central office in Pasig City (INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — Four officials from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) who skipped the hearings of the House of Representatives’ committee on good government and public accountability have been cited for contempt and ordered arrested.

During the panel’s hearing on Monday, Deputy Speaker David Suarez moved to cite for contempt the following OVP officials:

• Lemuel Ordonio
• Gina Acosta
• Sunshine Fajarda
• Edward Fajarda

“I move that we cite in contempt these individuals for their continued defiance to attend the committee hearings on good government,” Suarez said in his motion.

His request was approved by committee chairperson and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua after it was duly seconded.

Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop then moved to issue a detention order against the four, with the period of detention lasting until the committee finalizes its report.

Committee members believe the individuals cited for contempt would have been key for the panel’s investigation regarding the alleged misuse of public funds by offices under Vice President Sara Duterte — the OVP and previously, the Department of Education (DepEd).

Last September 25, former Education Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil Mercado testified that envelopes containing money — supposedly from Duterte — may have been meant to influence her as she used to head DepEd’s procuring division.

According to Mercado, since her designation as head of procuring entity, envelopes were handed to her by Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda.

“Between February of 2023 [and] September 2023, I received a total of nine envelopes labeled hope, my current position at DepEd during that time. These envelopes were handed to me mostly by Assistant Secretary Sunshine M. Fajarda, which she says, came directly from Vice President Duterte,” Mercado recalled.

“What she would typically say, as she hands the envelope, it would appear that I received this envelope by virtue of my office as HOPE. Atty. Fajarda is the wife of Edward Fajarda, who is the Special Disbursement Office,” she noted.

Aside from this, Mercado said Duterte’s chief-of-staff, OVP Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, asked her to resign from office after she raised several concerns regarding the procurement of the agency’s computerization program.

Mercado said this request from Lopez came after she opposed suggestions from former Education Assistant Secretary Reynold Munsayac that bidders in the computerization program should just “discuss among themselves” the fate of the bidding.

Furthermore, Mercado said other DepEd officials were asked to resign too.

Mercado has not clarified why Munsayac asked bidders to discuss the bidding process among themselves, but the computerization program was a topic raised by lawmakers during DepEd’s proposed 2025 budget deliberations at the House committee on appropriations.

Last September 2, solons called out the department’s past administration for its inability to deliver laptops and other technical equipment in 2023 — resulting in a low utilization of its budget.

In response, DepEd Director Ferdinand Pitagan confirmed that only P2.18 billion out of P11.36 billion funds for computers, laptops and smart television sets — items crucial for e-learning — were spent.

READ: Alleged ‘envelopes’ from Duterte may have aimed to influence ex-DepEd Usec 

Duterte, however, said Mercado is just a disgruntled employee who solicited money from private companies — a claim which the latter disputed.

READ: VP Duterte: Mercado ‘disgruntled’ ex-employee who solicited P16