Dwayne Pelagio

The House of Representatives have cited four Office of the Vice President (OVP) officials in contempt on Nov. 11 after repeatedly failing to show up in the probe over the alleged misuse of public funds under Vice President Sara Duterte.

Photo Courtesy of Youtube/House of Representatives.

The officials who were cited in contempt were OVP assistant chief of staff and Bids and Awards Committee chair Lemeul Ortonio, OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta, former Department of Education (DepEd) assistant secretary Sunshine Fajarda and her husband former DepEd special disbursing officer Eduard.

House Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez made the motion during the hearing after the four have already ignored the House committee on good governance and public accountability’s invitation four times and the subpoena ad testificandum five times.

“This is beyond what the committee would normally allow,” Suarez said in his statement during the hearing, citing the OVP officials’ repeated absences.

Within the contempt order lies a detention order for the four OVP officials at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has already issued an immigration lookout bulletin order to the officials due to their refusal to show up in the lower chamber’s inquiry.

OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez has been issued a final subpoena before citing her for contempt if she fails to attend the hearing again.

Lopez stated in her excuse letter that her aunt overseas required assistance due to medical emergencies.

The OVP officials submitted a position paper on Oct. 17, citing that the inquiry “lacks a clear legislative objective” and that fund expenditures have already been addressed during the agency and DepEd’s budget hearings for 2025.

The OVP officials who attended the fourth hearing were OVP administrative and financial services director Rosalynne L. Sanchez, OVP chief accountant Julieta Villadelrey, OVP chief administrative officer Kevin Gerome Tenido, and OVP budget division officer-in-charge Edelyn Rabago.

The officials stated in the hearing that Lopez, Acosta and Duterte are the three officials aware of where the secret funds were used.  

The House panel will also look upon the DepEd’s P15 million “youth leadership summit” and information education campaign as part of the agency’s counterinsurgency program.

Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said on Oct. 28 that these irregularities may be grounds for Duterte’s impeachment.