OVP 'ready to respond' to COA disallowance with finality of confidential funds

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The Office of Vice President Sara Duterte said it was prepared to respond to the Commission on Audit's (COA) reaffirmation with finality of its notice of disallowance against the former's P72-million disbursement of confidential funds in 2022.

"The Office of the Vice President is yet to receive a copy of the October 5, 2026 Commission on Audit's resolution on the Motion for Reconsideration regarding the issuance of the Notice of Disallowance on the Confidential Expenses for Q4 2022," Duterte's office said in a statement.

"The office has already anticipated the possibility of this decision and has prepared to respond through the appropriate legal and institutional channels," it added.

The COA has affirmed with finality its decision to disallow the disbursement of P73 million in confidential funds (CF) by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) from December 22 to 31, 2022.

In August 2024, state auditors flagged the OVP's use of P73,287,000 in confidential funds, prompting them to issue a notice of disallowance. They would later reaffirm this earlier in April.

A notice of disallowance essentially signifies that the transaction was irregular. The same notice is also issued for transactions that are illegal. It could be settled by the agency refunding the spent funds.

"They are, at best, a farce, of no significance, and utterly subpar the scintilla of substance which needed to demonstrate the proper disposal of the OVP's CF," the COA said in its latest resolution.

The resolution noted that Vice President Sara Duterte approved the transaction, including the utilization of the cash advance; OVP special disbursement order Gina Acosta acted as the payee/SDO and disbursed the cash advance; and OVP chief accountant Julieta Villadelrey certified that the supporting documents were complete and proper.

COA said the obligation to refund the disallowed confidential expenses falls upon both those directly responsible – the approving, authorizing, and certifying officers; and those who actually received the disallowed amount. — VDV, GMA News