Bayan Muna leader and former representative Atty. Neri Colmenares urged congress to investigate Vice President Sara Duterte’s spending of ₱250 million confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) in 2023.

“[Atty Colmenares] had uncovered information that the OVP spent ₱125 million in secret funds from Feb. 6 to March 29 last year, or within 52 days,” he said. “Worse, she again spent another ₱125 million from April 25 to June 30 [last year] or just over two months.”

OVP’s expenses include “purchase of information” worth ₱22 million, “gratuity payment” of ₱27 million and “food aid” of ₱82 million. The OVP gave no explanation regarding the first two while the third is deemed illegal because food aid is not part of intelligence work.

“Since this supposed ‘food aid’ is not allowed for CIF spending, Congress must require the OVP to produce the receipt of this spending, as this is no different from auditable government projects distributing aid,” Colmenares said.

The Committee on Appropriations of Congress has agreed to request the related reports from the Commission on Audit (COA). It subpoenaed the documents following Makabayan bloc’s motion on August 14 in preparation for the 2025 OVP budget proposal’s hearing. Duterte had earlier declared not asking for CIF next year. Nevertheless, this does not absolve her for the previous years’ CIF spending, Rep. France Castro of the ACT Teachers Party said.

Rep. Castro was among the first who revealed in 2023 that the OVP spent its ₱125 million CIF in just 11 days in 2022. She also spearheaded the withdrawal of Duterte’s CIF for 2024.