SEN. RISA TO VP SARA: YOUR P125-M INTEL FUND SPENT IN 11 DAYS, PCG SPENT P117 in 17 YEARS

By Junex Doronio

ASKING HOW IT SPENT THE P125-MILLION in confidential funds, Senator Risa Hontiveros has continued to hammer on the Office of the Vice President (OVP) as she lamented that the gargantuan budget was spent in only 11 days in 2022 while that of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) which she estimated to be only P117 million was spread over 17 years.

“‘Yung ating Coast Guard sa West Philippine Sea, araw-araw binabantayan ang sumpong ng China. Seventeen years pinagkasya ang P117 million na confidential funds. Ang OVP, hindi man lang umabot sa dalawang linggo,” Hontiveros thundered.

But Commodore Jay Tarriela corrected the opposition senator as the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) posted on X that there was more than P117 million in intelligence funds that had been allocated to the PCG.

He showed that there were P118.7 million in intelligence funds allocated to PCG from 2006 to 2023, including P10 million annually from 2013 to 2023.

“What can VP Sara show for it? Nag-mass hiring ba ang OVP ng libo-libong informant sa loob lang ng 11 na araw? Nagpatayo ba sila ng daan-daang safehouse sa loob lamang ng 11 na araw?” Hontiveros quipped.

She added: “Babalik lang tayo sa paulit-ulit na tanong: Saan ninyo dinala ang pera? Naghihintay ng resibo ang buong Pilipinas.”

Ironically, it was administration ally Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo who revealed that the P125-million OVP confidential funds were spent in only 11 days.

Quimbo has been defending the OVP’s confidential funds, but now she was speaking on behalf of the Commission on Audit (COA) during the plenary deliberation on the proposed 2024 budget.

Although there was no immediate reply from VP Duterte, the OVP maintained that the issue would be answered when its proposed P2.3-billion budget for 2024 is discussed in the House plenary.

Hontiveros — who was once described by PNoy political adviser Ronald Llamas as the “rightful successor” of former Vice President Leni Robredo as the leader of the traditional opposition — is expected to square off with VP Duterte and Speaker Martin Romualdez in the 2028 presidential slugfest.
(ai/mnm)