PSA asked to verify records of 677 OVP confidential fund recipients
Rep. Joel Chua (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA – A House of Representatives panel has requested the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to verify the civil registry records of 677 individuals reportedly listed as recipients of confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) under Vice President Duterte.
In a letter dated Dec. 5, House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chair Joel Chua formally asked PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa to authenticate the birth, marriage, and death records of the individuals whose names appeared in the acknowledgment receipts (ARs) submitted by the OVP.
The letter was released to the media on Friday.
“May we request for the verification of the Civil Registry Documents (birth, marriage, and death) of the names in the attached list relative to the investigation being conducted by the committee,” Chua said in the letter.
Article continues after this advertisementThe request comes after it was disclosed that one alleged recipient, “Mary Grace Piattos,” is a fictitious identity.
Article continues after this advertisementThe name is a combination of a popular restaurant and a local snack brand.
The House committee is looking into allegations of irregularities involving PHP500 million in confidential funds disbursed by the OVP across four quarters from late 2022 to 2023.
The PSA confirmed no birth, marriage, or death records exist for Piattos, whose name was cited in OVP documents to justify expenses from its confidential funds.
Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega earlier warned that the use of a fabricated identity in official documents could point to systemic fraud.
“The revelation that Mary Grace Piattos is a fictitious identity raises serious red flags. The PSA must immediately audit and verify all the names appearing in the ARs submitted by the OVP to the Commission on Audit (COA),” Ortega said.
Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre pointed to the principle of “falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus” (false in one, false in all) to question the credibility of other entries in the OVP’s liquidation reports. (PNA)
