Confidential Fund Controversy: COA Uncovers ₱125M OVP Spending Anomalies

In this episode of Sa Totoo Lang, journalist Ricky Rivera sheds light on alarming findings from the Commission on Audit (COA) regarding the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) handling of confidential funds.

According to the COA, the OVP requested ₱250 million in intelligence funding in August 2022. From this, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved ₱125 million, sourcing it from the Good Governance Program. Shockingly, this amount was withdrawn in full on the same day through Landbank and allegedly transported in gym bags.

Within just eleven days, the entire ₱125 million was reported spent on several items—safe house rentals, intelligence gathering, rewards, supplies, medical and food aid, and travel expenses. However, COA auditors flagged various questionable transactions, including receipts with illegible text, false names, and even Department of Education documents dated 2023 to justify 2022 expenditures.

On October 13, 2023, COA issued a formal disallowance of ₱73.28 million in OVP expenses. Additionally, it raised red flags on another ₱375 million in confidential funds released to the OVP from the first to the third quarter of 2023. These findings may serve as grounds for impeachment based on Article XI, Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

This investigation highlights ongoing concerns about transparency, fund misuse, and political accountability in the Philippine government.