OVP EXEC ADMITS GIVING ENVELOPES TO DEPED OFFICIALS FROM VP DUTERTE

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — A former official of the Department of Education (DepEd) and now an executive in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has practically admitted distributing cash to selected education officials, allegedly under the direct instruction of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a revealing exchange during the hearing of the House Blue Ribbon Committee Monday night (25 November 2025), House Assistant Majority Leader Jude Acidre questioned former DepEd Special Disbursing Officer Eduard Fajarda about the distribution of cash envelopes to DepEd officials where the latter admitted to carrying out the instructions, further implicating the vice president in the controversy.

“Actually po, I was instructed by VP Sara,” Fajarda said when asked why he solicited personal bank account details from DepEd officials.

He clarified that the instructions came directly from Duterte, not through intermediaries, and that the funds were handed to him by Duterte herself.

The inquiry revealed that the envelopes were reportedly distributed to DepEd superintendents, though not all received them.

“May napadalan po pero hindi siya lahat,” Fajarda said, explaining that recipients were selected based on bank account details.

“During po kasi sa pag-iikot ni VP Sara, nakita po niya dun yung superintendent gumagastos ng sarili nilang pera sa office field work nila,” he added.

However, Acidre confronted Fajarda with screenshots and affidavits suggesting that a broader group of DepEd officials, particularly in Region 7, had been contacted.

 “Kung titignan mo sa screenshot, yung lahat po ng superintendent sa Region 7 ay inyo pong kinontak at hiningan. Ibig sabihin silang lahat po nabigyan?” Acidre asked.

Fajarda responded, “Actually, hindi ko kilala lahat ng superintendent. Basta ang alam ko lang po hindi po lahat.”

The money’s origin became a focal point of the questioning. When asked where the funds came from, Fajarda admitted, “Binibigay ‘po yun sa akin ni VP Sara,” further confirming that the vice president has personal knowledge of the cash distribution.

This admission follows similar revelations from four other former DepEd officials – former Undersecretary Gloria Mercado, Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan, former Bids and Awards Committee Chairperson Resty Osias and former Undersecretary and Vice President spokesperson Michael Poa – who also admitted to receiving envelopes from Duterte.

Acidre underscored this pattern during the hearing, noting the consistent testimonies from multiple officials about the distribution of envelopes.

The hearing also highlighted irregularities in the distribution process. Fajarda admitted that cash was sent directly to the personal accounts of certain DepEd officials, bypassing official DepEd channels.

Acidre questioned the implications of this practice, asking, “Pag nagpapadala kayo ng pera, personal account ang ginagamit or official account ng DepEd?”

Fajarda confirmed, “Account number po nila.”

Fajarda defended the selective distribution of funds, citing the Vice President’s observation that some superintendents were using their personal money for office-related expenses.

However, Acidre pointed out the lack of consistency in the process and raised concerns about the potential misuse of funds.

In light of the admissions, Acidre concluded that further investigations would likely yield similar responses from DepEd superintendents and regional directors.

“Itong pong lahat ng pagkakataon, pag naging panauhin po namin ang mga superintendents at regional directors, we would expect that would be the response – na hindi po lahat at hindi po regular?” Acidre asked.

“Yes, Your Honor,” Fajarda replied, acknowledging the irregular and selective nature of the cash distributions.

The admission of direct involvement by Duterte in the distribution of funds through personal accounts raises serious questions about transparency, accountability and potential misuse of public resources.

Ia/mnm