Probe P2.7-B funds, CoA urged

A FORMER congressman is urging state auditors to investigate if Davao City’s confidential funds during Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s term as mayor — totaling P2.7 billion from 2016 to 2022 — were spent according to existing guidelines.

“The Commission on Audit (CoA) must look into whether the Office of the Davao City Mayor followed the requirements under Joint Circular 2015-01 which was set up to ensure that confidential and intelligence funds are not spent for personal benefits or irregular transactions,” former party-list representative and now Bayan Muna chairman Neri J. Colmenares said in a statement released on Sunday.

In citing the 2015 joint circular released by the CoA, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other agencies, Mr. Colmenares noted that the accountable official — in this case, Ms. Duterte-Carpio — must liquidate the funds they are liable for, or they may face “administrative disciplinary action as well as disallowing the cash advance granted.”

As reflected in the CoA’s 2022 audit report, Davao City had a total of confidential expenses amounting to P2.7 billion from 2016 to 2022, which Party-list Rep. France L. Castro noted was bigger than that of richer localities like Makati and Quezon Cities.

“This would mean P1.24 million a day of secret spending for six years [in Davao City],” commented Ms. Castro in a statement.

“Perhaps this is why Vice President Sara Duterte is so eager to have a confidential fund in her national office, as she may have become accustomed to such a practice during her time as mayor of Davao,” she added.

Mr. Colmenares pointed out that the 2015 joint circular “limits confidential funds for LGUs (local government units) to only 30% of the total annual amount allocated for the LGU’s Peace and Order Program.”

If found not following the joint circular, “the money should be returned and legal action should be taken [against the accountable official],” Ms. Castro said.

Jefry M. Tupas, Media and Public Relations chief of the Vice President, did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment on the matter raised by Mr. Colmenares and Ms. Castro. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz