VP Sara Duterte. - Photo: House of Representatives file
MANILA: The notice of disallowance (ND) by the Commission on Audit (COA) against P73 million out of the P125-million confidential funds spent by Vice President Sara Duterte in 2022 brought out more questions than answers, as it was revealed that a large amount was spent on things that did not involved security, according to a constitutional law expert.
For lawyer Michael Henry Yusingco, Duterte’s spending of confidential funds constituted a “violation twice over”—first because the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is not mandated to use such funds, and second because of a COA joint circular that regulates the specific activities and items for which the secret funds could be used.
