MANILA — The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability has requested the Department of Justice to issue a lookout bulletin order against seven officials from the Office of the Vice President, who were subpoenad by the panel after repeated failure to attend its hearings.

In a letter e-mailed to the office of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla last October 22, House committee Chairperson and Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua said their testimonies are crucial to the panel’s inquiry into issues surrounding the confidential expenses of the offices held by Vice President Sara Duterte.

“We have information that these individuals may be preparing to leave the country… This action is imperative to monitor their movements and prevent any potential attempt to flee the country, which could significantly hinder our investigation and the broader efforts to uphold the integrity of public service,” Chua said in the letter.

The officials named in the request are OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez, Assistant Chief of Staff and Bids and Awards Committee Chairperson Lemuel Ortonio, Administrative and Financial Services Director Rosalynne Sanchez, Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta, Chief Accountant Julieta Villadelrey, former Department of Education Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda and former DepEd Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda.

Unlike a Precautionary Hold Departure Order, which are issued by courts, an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order directs Bureau of Immigration personnel to note a subject’s movements, inform agencies of a pending departure and endorse a subject for secondary inspection if necessary.

“Since dito wala pa namang kaso, so lookout bulletin lamang…There are some, who are trying to leave the country. As to kung sino, hindi naman na-divulge ang name. But syempre ayaw naman natin… baka mamaya gaya ng nangyari kay Mayor Alice Guo, nasalisihan tayo,” Chua explained.

The DOJ, citing the Bureau of Immigration, told the House panel that the seven OVP officials have no derogatory record, but also issued a disclaimer that they cannot say the same for those with numerous namesakes.

“Ibig sabihin walang outstanding warrant, mga ganyang issue. As long as walang ganoon, hindi naman natin mapipigil ‘yan (mag-travel), dahil Constitutional right naman din nila na makaalis. So, at the very least. ang pwede natin ma-check ‘yung kanilang itinerary… At least ito mamo-monitor sila,” Chua explained.

If the subpoenad OVP employees still skip the resumption of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability hearing on Tuesday, the panel may be compelled to cite them in contempt and order their arrest, according to Chua and House Deputy Majority Leader and TINGOG Party List Representative Jude Acidre.

“In the event na tomorrow hindi sila umattend, baka mamaya may mag-motion to cite them in contempt, so we will be forced to cite them in contempt… Kung ma-contempt sila nandoon sila sa custody ng Congress… Pag na-cite sila for contempt, ipapahanap natin sila,” Chua said.

“I would leave it to the leadership of the committee to respond accordingly. Pero based on previous practice, ‘pag hindi nagpakita ng subpoena, then depende sa committee. But probably a warrant will have to be issued to compel them to attend,” Acidre added.

IMPEACHMENT?

Based on previous hearings, the chairperson of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability said he is seeing possible grounds for an impeachment complaint against the Vice President, but noted that it still remains to be seen whether the committee will recommend it.

During the House panel’s October 17 hearing, congressmen flagged the P16 million confidential funds spent by the OVP in 2022 on safehouse rental within 11 days. 

They also questioned the certifications from military officials supposedly used by the Department of Education under Duterte to justify over P15 million in confidential expenses. 

A former and an incumbent DepEd official also previously told the committee that they received envelopes with cash when Duterte was still the agency’s secretary.

“Unless and until hindi nila maire-rebut ito, so tingi ko may grounds naman po. Number one, ‘yung sa DepEd, hindi nila maipaliwanag yung binigyan ng certification ng army na hindi naman pala na-download ‘yung pera. Hindi po ba grounds ‘yan for betrayal ng public trust, graft and corruption. Tapos ‘yung issue natin sa kinuha nila na mga safehouses na apparently nagkakahalaga ng P1 million in 11 days na hindi naman makita kung saan. ‘Yung isa pa ‘yung kay Usec. Mercado. Yung natanggap niyang amount na according to her ito ay ibinigay sa kanya bilang Head of Procuring Entity. That is bribery,” Chua said.

“If you want to be technical about it, is the amount within the bounds of what can be considered plunder? Probably, yes. Is it betrayal of public trust? I think pinaka-concrete na panuntunan ng public trust, ang pag-handle ng public funds, ‘di ba? So if we were to be technical about it, yes,” Acidre said, but noted that he cannot preempt whether other lawmakers will file an impeachment or plunder complaint against Duterte.

In a previous press conference, the Vice President dared her accusers to prove their claim. 

Duterte defended the OVP’s confidential expenses, saying it is not surprising for government agencies to spend millions in just a couple days, but her office submitted documents to the Commission on Audit as required for liquidation of confidential funds. 

The Vice President previously denied her office misused public funds, and accused the lower house of launching a political attack against her, which House leaders belied.

House Deputy Majority Leader and TGP Party List Representative Jose Teves Jr., meanwhile, attributes Duterte’s decline in trust and approval ratings to her alleged failure to sufficiently explain the issues surrounding her office’s confidential expenses.

“‘Pag patuloy ka nagtatago at patuloy mo hindi sinasagot ‘yung mga tanong na dapat mong sagutin, talagang bababa ang rating mo dahil paano ka pagtitwalaan ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino kung hindi mo sinasagot ‘yung mga tinatanong sa'yo,” Teves said.