Manila: The House of Representatives’ Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability has taken decisive action by reissuing a subpoena ad testificandum to seven officials from the Office of the Vice President (OVP), following their fourth absence from an ongoing inquiry. This development occurred during a session on Tuesday, where the committee expressed its frustration over the officials’ repeated failure to attend the hearings.
According to Philippines News Agency, the committee chair, Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua, emphasized the gravity of the situation, warning that further absences could lead to more severe consequences, such as contempt charges and potential arrest. The officials summoned include Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez, Assistant Chief of Staff and Bids and Awards Committee Chair Lemuel Ortonio, Administrative and Financial Services Director Rosalynne Sanchez, Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta, Chief Accountant Julieta Villadelrey, and former Depart
ment of Education Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda and former Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda.
The committee learned that Zuleika Lopez had left the country just before the most recent hearing, having passed through immigration at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 and boarding a flight to Los Angeles. The repeated absences were justified by the OVP officials through a joint position paper, invoking a three-day rule that mandates the issuance of a subpoena three days prior to a hearing, which they claim was not followed. However, the committee staff asserted that the subpoenas were delivered over the weekend but were refused by a legal assistant at the OVP offices.
Representative Chua expressed confusion over the reluctance of the OVP officials to participate in the inquiry, contrasting their behavior with other individuals who have complied with the committee’s requests. To address the officials’ concerns and adhere to the procedural rule, Chua agreed to reissue the subpoena
s. The committee’s inquiry is focused on obtaining explanations for the alleged misuse of PHP500 million in confidential intelligence funds and an additional PHP112.5 million from the Department of Education during Vice President Sara Duterte’s tenure as Education Secretary. The Commission on Audit has already raised concerns, disallowing PHP73 million of the funds spent by the OVP in a short 11-day period at the end of 2022.
In a related development, Michael Poa, former spokesperson for the OVP, informed the House panel that he no longer holds his previous position. Poa clarified that his consultancy contract had been pre-terminated, and he was not involved in decisions related to the disbursement of confidential funds, a responsibility he attributed solely to Fajarda. Poa’s role was primarily to manage media inquiries during his tenure as spokesperson and Chief of Staff for Duterte at the Department of Education.
