Sara Duterte takes oath to tell truth at OVP fund probe

MANILA, Philippines — After six hearings and five contempt orders issued against her personnel, Vice President Sara Duterte finally took an oath to tell the truth during the House committee on good government’s probe into the alleged misuse of her office’s fund.

During the seventh hearing of the committee held on Monday, Duterte was requesting to be acknowledged to address issues that she believed were urgent.

Committee chairperson and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said they would only recognize Duterte if she took an oath, which she did.

Duterte attended only one of the six past hearings of the panel, the first hearing held last September 18.  The Vice President, however, was eventually excused after she refused to take an oath, claiming that the administration of oath is only reserved for witnesses.

Chua then said that resource persons are considered witnesses during investigations in aid of legislation.

READ: VP Sara Duterte refuses to take oath at House hearing

Duterte rambled that her time was wasted in the first hearing as no questions were asked. Chua reminded the Vice President that she was not quizzed because she did not take an oath.

READ: Chua to Sara: You weren’t asked in hearing because you didn’t take oath

Duterte showed up at Monday’s hearing at 11:56 a.m., saying that she wanted to accompany the Office of the Vice President (OVP) personnel who appeared before the hearing.

“Kailangan kong samahan sa House hearing ‘yung mga OVP personnel na nandoon,” she said.

(I have to accompany the OVP personnel who are there at the House hearing.)

The committee secretariat confirmed that the following OVP officials were inside the hearing room:

• Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio – Assistant Chief of Staff and Chair of the Bids and Awards Committee
• Gina Acosta – Special Disbursing Officer (SDO)
• Sunshine Fajarda – former Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary
• Edward Fajarda – former DepEd official

READ: Four OVP execs cited for contempt show up at House hearing

Last November 11, the four OVP officials were cited for contempt upon the motion of Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop for their “continued defiance” of invitations and summons issued against them.

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

Their presence is believed to be key for the committee’s investigation, as lawmakers said they think all four would be able to shed light on the issues involving acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for confidential fund (CF) expenditures made by the OVP and DepEd.

Previously, the committee uncovered issues regarding the ARs, such as instances when the CF was received by the same person but the signatures were different.

Before this, the OVP was also called out for problems regarding its ARs. During the committee’s hearing last November 5, Acop pointed out that several of the ARs were signed by a certain Mary Grace Piattos, which he said bears a first name similar to a coffee shop, while her last name is a famous potato chip brand.