Vice President Sara Duterte refused to clarify why her office’s confidential fund receipts included names of individuals that do not exist, such as “Mary Grace Piattos.”
During a press conference on December 11, Duterte stated that explaining these discrepancies would compromise intelligence operations.
Her comments come amid increasing scrutiny from lawmakers regarding the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education over two years.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that 405 out of 677 individuals listed as recipients lacked any official records.
Lawmakers have raised concerns about the authenticity of these receipts, with some suggesting they may have been fabricated.
Duterte distanced herself from the creation of these receipts, asserting that they were prepared at a grassroots level.
She expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the documents under investigation and insisted she would respond only to state auditors, not Congress.
