VP Sara Duterte composite image from Inquirer, AP file photos
MANILA, Philippines — More questionable names were found on the receipts used to justify the use of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) confidential funds (CFs) under the leadership of Vice President Sara Duterte, House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V said on Sunday.
Ortega said lawmakers found odor names such as “Amoy Liu” and “Fernan Amuy.” They also found the name “Joug De Asim.” The Filipino word “asim” means “sour” in English.
READ: Names of alleged OVP fund recipients get curiouser
“Sa patuloy na pagsusuri ng Kongreso sa listahan ng mga nakatanggap ng confidential funds sa DepEd, may bagong grupo na naman—ang tinatawag nating Team Amoy Asim’,” Ortega said in a statement.
(As Congress continues to review the list of recipients of confidential funds of the DepEd, another group has emerged—the so-called Sour-Smelling Team.)
Ortega also said Amoy Liu, Fernan Amuy, and Joug De Asim have no records of birth, marriage, and death in the registry of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
These three names were submitted by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to the Commission on Audit (COA), he added.
In its probe, the House of Representatives found out that the OVP and DepEd submitted about 4,500 acknowledgment receipts to the COA to explain how they used the P612.5-million CF.
“Una, may chichirya, may cellphone, at may prutas. Sumunod ang ‘Dodong Gang.’ Ngayon naman, nandito na ang ‘Team Amoy Asim.’ Kung sa listahan pa lang ay maasim na ang dating ng pekeng mga pangalan, paano pa kaya sa mga transaksyon mismo?” Ortega added.
(First, there were names of snacks, cellphones, and fruits. Then came the ‘Dodong Gang.’ Now, we have the ‘Sour-Smelling Team.’ If the fake names on the list already give off a sour impression, what more about the transactions themselves?)
Last week, Ortega bared that more names seemingly derived from food were found as “non-existent” recipients of the OVP’s CF.
The list of names includes “Jay Kamote” and “Miggy Mango.” There are also five “Dodongs”: Dodong Alcala, Dodong Bina, Dodong Bunal, Dodong Darong, and Dodong S. Barok.
READ: More food names found on OVP secret fund receipts: Kamote, Mango
READ: Lawmaker bares more odd names linked to Piattos, OVP confi funds
Earlier, lawmakers found names similar to chip brands and cellphones such as “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Pia Piatos-Lim,” “Renan Piatos,” and “Xiaome Ocho.”
Ortega said out of 1,992 supposed recipients of the CFs, 1,322 had no birth records, 1,456 had no marriage records, and 1,593 had no death records.
He also slammed Duterte’s response when asked in an interview about the growing number of questionable names on the acknowledgment receipts for her use of CFs. Duterte said she could not answer the allegations due to doubts about the chain of evidence.
“Kung maayos ang sistema, bakit parang magic na lang na napunta ang pera sa mga pangalan na wala namang pagkatao? Nasaan ang mga dokumento? Nasaan ang mga sagot?” Ortega said.
(If the system is in order, then how did the money magically end up under names that don’t even belong to real people? Where are the documents? Where are the answers?)
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The House impeached Duterte last February 5, with 215 lawmakers voting in favor of the impeachment.
Among the articles of impeachment in the verified complaint sent to the Senate were betrayal of public trust, violating the 1987 Constitution, and graft and corruption.