黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Office of the Vice President (OVP) Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez was quizzed by different House of Representatives lawmakers over her claims that she is not aware of confidential fund (CF) transactions made by their office.

Deputy Speaker David Suarez, during the hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability on Wednesday, asked how come Lopez insists not knowing about the OVP鈥檚 CFs when she was named by OVP Director for Administrative and Financial Services Rosalynne Sanchez as knowledgeable.

According to Suarez, Sanchez 鈥� who was seated beside Lopez 鈥� said that three people have access to CF transactions: Lopez, special disbursing officer Gina Acosta, and Vice President Sara Duterte.

鈥淲hen it comes to confidential funds, Atty. Lopez, do you have information regarding this?鈥澨� Suarez asked, to which Lopez responded in the negative.听 鈥淣one, then why is the person beside you saying that when it comes to the confidential and intelligence fund of the [OVP], only three people have the knowledge and information 鈥� you, Gina Acosta, at si Vice President Sara Duterte.听 That鈥檚 what the person beside you said.鈥�

鈥淧lease explain to me why would the person beside you say that and you would deny that?听 Are you gonna fire her too?鈥� Suarez asked.

鈥淚 cannot answer for Director Sanchez your Honor,鈥� Lopez replied.

Suarez also noted that it was Lopez who wrote the response to different letters and summons regarding confidential fund expense issues, including the answer to the Commission on Audit (COA) audit observation memorandum (AOM).

鈥淚f you are not knowledgeable, Atty. Lopez, with the utilization ng confidential funds, why is it that on April 19, 2024, where your signature is affixed to a document that was forwarded to COA, you answer the [AOM] of COA, if you did not know the confidential fund issue, why are you answering it?鈥� Suarez asked.

鈥淵our Honor, as I mentioned earlier, all external communications come from the Office of the Chief-of-Staff,鈥� Lopez replied.

鈥淎tty. Lopez, you鈥檙e not making sense, you just mentioned that you have no knowledge and information about confidential funds, and yet to the AOM of COA, you answer it?鈥� Suarez asked again.

Later on in the hearing, Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop made the same observations, that Lopez鈥� letters to COA show that she knows the ins and outs of OVP鈥檚 CF transactions.

鈥淲hat I know is that the chief-of-staff is the most knowledgeable among the staff of a head of office,鈥� Acop said.

鈥淚n most cases, your Honor, yes [鈥�] it is only in this matter that I am not privy to, the matter of confidential funds in the [OVP],鈥� Lopez said.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e lying Madam Attorney, simply because the letters that you wrote to COA would belie your statement.听 Because you know, if you read the contents of your letter, you will know that the person who wrote is knowledgeable.听 How can you explain the AOM?鈥� Acop asked.听 鈥淎re you trying to say that you signed without knowing what was stated?鈥�

This led Acop to ask Lopez if she was the one who wrote the letter to COA, asking that the commission refrain from releasing audit observations regarding OVP鈥檚 confidential expenses.听 In response, Lopez admitted that it was Lemuel听Ortonio, OVP鈥檚 Assistant Chief-of-Staff and chairperson of the agency鈥檚 Bids and Awards Committee.

鈥淩espectfully your Honor [鈥�] the documents, the attachments, as regards the answer to the AOM was presented and prepared by Mr. Ortonio, it is not incumbent upon me to double-check or to review such documents your Honor,鈥� Lopez said.

鈥淏ut you signed it.听 As lawyers, what was taught in the law school, is that before you sign your death warrant, you read it first,鈥� Acop noted.

Earlier, Lopez was also grilled after she confirmed that she indeed told former Education Undersecretary听Gloria Jumamil Mercado听that she has to resign, having lost Vice President Sara Duterte鈥檚 trust and confidence.

Mercado told the same panel during its September 25 hearing that Lopez approached her sometime in October 2023, saying that she should resign from her post.听 The former Department of Education (DepEd) official said this happened after she raised concerns regarding the agency鈥檚 computerization procurement.

Luistro however reminded Lopez 鈥� Duterte鈥檚 chief-of-staff 鈥� that there are rules that should be followed in terms of deliberating a dismissal order against a government official.听 When Lopez said that she informed Mercado of the reasons why she has to resign, Luistro claimed this was not the case.

Mercado said that she asserted that the 鈥減rocurement must be implemented and conducted in strict adherence to the rules鈥� 鈥� which she believes merited Lopez鈥� message.

READ: Ex-DepEd exec: VP Duterte鈥檚 staff asked me to resign over purchase issue听

Duterte however dismissed Mercado鈥檚 testimony, saying that the former DepEd official was just a disgruntled employee that was let go from the department for soliciting money from private companies.

READ: Ex-Usec Mercado: No money solicited in official DepEd program听

Mercado however clarified that the the issue raised by Duterte was actually an official government program 鈥� a system that would have allowed Duterte to contact teachers wherever she may be.