In a shocking revelation, former Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil Mercado confirmed that Vice President Sara Duterte’s office spent ₱16 million for safe house rentals over just 11 days in 2022. Mercado, who provided testimony during a House probe, disclosed that the expenditure was backed by 34 acknowledgment receipts, raising concerns about the spending practices of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
One particularly alarming receipt showed that the daily rental cost for a single safe house reached ₱250,000, a staggering figure that surpasses the cost of an overnight stay at most five-star hotels in the Philippines. Another receipt indicated that the OVP had spent ₱500,000 for a safe house, which amounts to roughly ₱45,000 per day.
These revelations came to light as lawmakers continued their scrutiny of the secret expenditures made by the OVP under Duterte’s leadership. The eye-watering sums involved in the safe house rentals raised alarm bells during the House probe on Thursday, October 17, as lawmakers questioned the justification for such high expenses.
🚨 BREAKING: Gloria Camora confirms that VP Sara Duterte’s office paid ₱16 MILLION for safe house rentals over just 11 days — with 34 acknowledgment receipts as proof.
— Informed PH (@informedph2) October 17, 2024
📄 Shocking Details: One receipt shows the OVP could have spent up to ₱250,000 per day in 2022 for a single… pic.twitter.com/Jh5dpFCDTh
Gloria Camora, a key witness in the ongoing investigation, confirmed the authenticity of the receipts, which were submitted to the Commission on Audit (COA). The lawmakers were particularly disturbed by the ₱250,000-per-night expense, which far exceeds any typical safe house rental costs in the country.
In addition to the revelations regarding safe house rentals, Education Director Resty Osias also testified during the probe. He admitted to receiving envelopes containing ₱12,000 to ₱15,000 between April and September 2023, during Duterte’s tenure as DepEd Secretary. This disclosure added further complexity to the investigation, as Osias indicated that the cash envelopes were handed out as part of a regular practice within the department.
Former DepEd Undersecretary Mercado further shared details of monthly envelopes she received during her time under Duterte’s leadership at the DepEd. She revealed that she had received ₱50,000 in cash for nine months, with each envelope labeled “HoPE,” meaning Head of Procuring Entity. Mercado noted that the envelopes were handed to her by the Vice President’s head executive assistant, Sunshine Fajarda, and implied that the money may have been an attempt to influence her decisions as procurement head.
WATCH: Education Director Resty Osias admits he received envelopes with an amount of ₱12,000 to ₱15,000 from April to September 2023 or during the leadership of then-Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte | @dsfernandez pic.twitter.com/YJ3phBdnjK
— NewsWatch Plus PH (@newswatchplusph) October 17, 2024
These developments have intensified calls for greater transparency and accountability regarding the spending practices of the OVP and DepEd.