OVP charged Christmas party to confidential funds
A Commission on Audit official testified that the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines improperly used confidential funds for activities like Christmas parties and tree planting. These expenditures were flagged as non-compliant with the joint circular governing the use of such funds.
Why it matters
The testimony provides significant evidence in an ongoing impeachment trial regarding the alleged misuse of public funds by a high-ranking government official.
Commission on Audit auditor Xylene Mae del Campo. | Inquirer photo
MANILA, Philippines — Several activities declared by Vice President Sara Duterte’s office as confidential expenses —including tree planting, wheelchair distribution, and Christmas parties—are not allowable under the joint circular governing the use of confidential funds, a state auditor testified.
During Tuesday’s resumption of Duterte’s impeachment trial, private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan continued her cross-examination of Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Xylene Mae del Campo, zeroing in on activities listed by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in its liquidation reports for confidential fund expenditures in December 2022.
When Kapunan mentioned that some listed activities were Christmas parties and tree-planting activities, del Campo said these were not among the allowable uses of CFs under Joint Circular No. 2015-01.
READ: Impeachment Trial Day 12: OVP 2023 confidential funds scrutiny continues
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