NANINIWALA si House Deputy Minority Leader at ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro na ang maling paggamit ng confidential fund ni Vice President Sara Duterte ay isang impeachable offense.

Sa isang pahayag, sinabi ni Castro na naglabas ang Commission on Audit (COA) ng Notice of Disallowance sa ginawang paggastos ng tanggapan ni VP Duterte sa P73 milyong pondo na bahagi ng P125 milyong confidential fund nito noong 2022.

“The state auditor demands the return of P73 million out of the P125 million spent by the Vice President’s office within a mere 11 days in December 2022,” sabi ni Castro.

Batay sa audit report ng COA, nagpalabas ito ng Notice of Disallowance sa mga sumusunod: reward payment, P10 milyon; iba’t ibang produkto na ibinayad bilang reward, P34.857 milyon; gamot bilang pambayad ng reward, P24.930 milyon at pagbili ng mga lamesa, upuan, desktop computers, at printers, P3.5 milyon.

Ayon kay Castro na-disallow ang mga reward dahil hindi malinaw kung nagtagumpay ang mga surveillance operation kaya kailangang magbigay ng reward.

Ang mga gamit naman umano gaya ng upuan at lamesa ay na-disallowed dahil hindi malinaw kung ginamit ang mga ito sa isinagawang surveillance operations.

Iginiit ni Castro na malinaw ang punto ng COA na ang paggamit ni VP Duterte ng confidential fund ay hindi nakasunod sa Joint Circular No. 2015-01.

“The special provision on Confidential Funds in the General Appropriations Act specifically mandates compliance with that Joint Circular. VP Duterte broke the law. The COA’s findings reveal a glaring misuse of public funds,” ani Castro.

“It’s becoming apparent that Duterte was banking on the supposed veil of secrecy around Confidential Funds to hide her unlawful use of people’s money. This is a clear betrayal of public trust,” dagdag pa ni Castro.

Sinabi ni Castro na dapat pang hukayin ang mga impormasyon kaugnay ng paggastos ni VP Duterte ng confidential funds.

“Let me just emphasize the absurdity of what the Vice President claims in her accomplishment report. She spent 125 million by holding 132 surveillance activities, where she gave out a total of 99 million in payment and rewards (in cash and in kind), presumably to informers, and spent 26 million for travel expenses and safe houses. All during the last 11 days of 2022, including the Christmas and yearend holidays. This story simply does not hold up,” dagdag pa nito.

Ang pagtanggi umano ni VP Duterte na sumagot sa mga tanong ng mga kongresista sa pagdinig ng Appropriations committee upang malinawan ang paggastos nito ng pondo ng bayan ay malinaw na pambabastos.

“Her stonewalling on legitimate questions from members of the House regarding her use of public funds showed utter disrespect for the basic principles of check-and-balance, transparency, and accountability of public officials entrusted with the people’s money, all of which are enshrined in the Constitution that she swore to uphold,” saad pa ng mambabatas.

“Di naman pwedeng gagawa ng kalokohan tapos pababayaan na lang, dapat may accountability. Her misuse of Confidential Funds is an impeachable offense,” wika pa nito. “Sa paglulustay ng confidential funds, sa panahong kulang na kulang ang pondo para sa serbisyong publiko, at sa pagtangging ipaliwanag ito sa taumbayan, malinaw na may batayan ang impeachment.”

Bukod sa P125 milyong confidential fund na ginastos noong 2022, sinabi ni Castro na dapat ding suriin ang paggastos nito ng P372 milyon sa P500 milyong confidential fund nito noong 2023.

“In short, Duterte’s misuse of funds apparently continued into the next year and could involve a much higher amount,” dagdag pa ng kinatawan ng ACT Partylist.