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Duterte 'needed funds': Palace defends transfer of over P221-M funds to OVP
Duterte 'needed funds': Palace defends transfer of over P221-M funds to OVP
Job Manahan,
ABS-CBN News
Published Sep 05, 2023 03:06 PM PHT
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Updated Sep 05, 2023 07:29 PM PHT
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the launching of Brigada Eskwela at the V. Mapa High School in Manila on August 14, 2023. The clean-up drive is meant to prepare more than 47,678 public schools around the country for the August 29 class opening. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATED) — Malacañang on Tuesday defended the transfer of funds worth over P221 million, including P125 million in confidential funds, to Vice President Sara Duterte's office in 2022, saying this was "legal" and that she needed the money for some of her programs last year.
In a statement, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the Office of the President authorized the release of P221.4 million to Duterte's office in "compliance with Special Provision No. 1 under the 2022 Contingent Fund."
Bersamin said this covers the funding for "new or urgent activities that need to be implemented," and that this was backed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
“Vice President Sara, who was newly elected then, needed funds for her new programs for the remaining period of 2022. The President supported this initiative and released the funds, with the favorable recommendation of [the budget department]," Bersamin said.
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Based on the statement, Marcos Jr. approved the P221 million for the following Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE):
P96.424 million - financial assistance/subsidy
P125 million - confidential funds for newly-created satellite offices (chargeable against the FY 2022 contingent fund)
Data from the Department of Budget and Management, meanwhile, showed that the Special Allotment Release Order for the confidential fund was approved on November 28, 2022.
Money authorized by SARO-BMB-C-22-0012004 was released on December 13, 2022.
Members of the Makabayan bloc earlier questioned why the Office of the Vice President had P125 million in confidential funds in 2022 even if this was not authorized in last year's General Appropriations Act.
Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel also said documents from the Office of the Vice President's website showed it used P125 million in confidential funds "within 19 days."
The Office of the Vice President is seeking P500 million in confidential and intelligence funds for 2024.
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