Solons: Mary Grace Piattos being fake has serious implications for OVP

Bataan 1st district Representative Geraldine Roman. | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of Geraldine Roman

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) confirmation that Mary Grace Piattos is not part of their live birth and death registry gives the Office of the Vice President (OVP) some serious implications, different lawmakers said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman said there seems to be an element of fraud if an agency claims that a certain person acknowledged the receipt of the confidential expenses, only to be discovered later on that the identity is fictitious.

“In effect, that certification means that Mary Grace Piattos does not exist and that has serious implications. When you submit documents to the COA (Commission on Audit) na mayroong tao na nangangalang Mary Grace Piattos na magja-justify ng certain gastos pero mapatunayan mong wala, parang merong element of fraud doon,” Roman said.

(In effect, that certification means that Mary Grace Piattos does not exist and that has serious implications. When you submit documents to the COA that a person named Mary Grace Piattos would justify certain expenses but it was shown to be fictitious, there seems to be an element of fraud.)

Roman and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre meanwhile said that this is a matter that the House of Representatives committee on good government and public accountability should check on.

“So I guess that has to be taken into consideration by the (committee) as well, this new development,” Roman said.

“Maganda po na nanggagling na mismo sa PSA ang pagtitibay na wala hong taong nagngangalang Mary Grace Piattos. At siguro tama lang, katulad ng sinabi ng ating si Congresswoman Geraldine Roman, na tignan noon ng committee on good government and accountability kung anong implication nito.  Sabi nga natin pag may nakita tayong mali sa isa, hindi malayong ganoon din yung iba,” Acidre added.

(It’s also good that the PSA itself has certified that there is no individual named Mary Grace Piattos.  And it is correct, as our Congresswoman Geraldine Roman had said, that the committee on good government and accountability take a look at the implication of these matters.  As we said, if we saw an error on one part, it is not impossible to find other mistakes.)

Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano — whose privilege speeches initiated the good government panel’s hearing — meanwhile said that the PSA’s discovery is no longer surprising.

“May umasa bang totoong tao si Mary Grace Piattos? Kaya nga malakas ang loob ng ilan na mag-ambag sa reward para lumutang si Mary Grace Piattos, kasi hindi siya totoong tao.  Mary Grace Piattos is, but a sample of the fictitious names among the apparently forged acknowledgment receipts prepared by the cohorts and co-conspirators,” Valeriano said in a statement.

(Did anyone expect that Mary Grace Piattos is a true person?  That’s why some of our colleagues were courageous to contribute to the reward money for anyone who can find Mary Grace Piattos, because she is not a true person.)

“Abangan natin kung ano na namang spin at pakulo ang gagawin ng mga Duterte.  We are waiting for the NBI report on the handwriting and forensic analysis of the ARs and also the envelopes used to give away cash to DepEd personnel involved in the bidding,” he added.

(Let us wait for what kind of spin will be done by the Dutertes.)

Earlier, the said House committee released certifications from COA stating that the name “Mary Grace Piattos” has no record with them — in terms of birth, marriage, and death.

The PSA also said it could conduct a deeper search on the name and “ascertain whether [a] civil registry document is available in the database” if more information, such as the name of her parents, among others, can be provided.

READ: No record of a ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ – PSA 

Vice President Sara Duterte and the OVP were placed on the hot seat after Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop, during one of the past hearings, said that several of the ARs were signed by Piattos — which he said bears a first name similar to a coffee shop, and a last name that is a famous potato chip brand.

READ: House probe: OVP, DepEd CFs received by same man, different signatures 

The ARs signed off by Piattos were part of the liquidation reports discussed during the same hearing, referring to the P23.8 million confidential funds covered by 158 receipts.

READ: P1-M reward for information on Mary Grace Piattos – House lawmakers 

However, good government committee chairperson and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said last November 19 the possibility that OVP fabricated the ARs is a bigger problem than Piattos.

READ: OVP’s possible fake receipts bigger issue than ‘Piattos’ – Chua 

A day after, it was revealed during the hearing that two different ARs for CFs — one for OVP and another for the Department of Education — were signed by a certain Kokoy Villamin.  However, the same person signed the ARs with different handwriting and signature styles.