OVP prepares legal action as COA affirms ₱73.3-million fund disallowance

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) announced Wednesday that it is preparing to challenge the Commission on Audit’s (COA) decision upholding the ₱73.287-million disallowance of its December 2022 confidential expenses, though it has yet to officially receive a copy of the ruling.

In a statement, the OVP noted that it had anticipated the potential rejection of its motion for reconsideration and was ready to respond through "appropriate legal and institutional channels."

"The Office of the Vice President is yet to receive a copy of the October 5, 2026 Commission on Audit resolution on the Motion for Reconsideration regarding the Notice of Disallowance on Confidential Expenses for Q4 2022," the OVP stated.

"The office has already anticipated the possibility of this decision and has prepared to respond through the appropriate legal and institutional channels."

The ruling by the COA Commission Proper denied the joint motion for reconsideration filed by Vice President Sara Duterte, OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta, and Chief Accountant Julieta L. Villadelrey—affirming with finality the disallowance of expenses incurred between Dec. 21 and 31, 2022.

The disallowed sum includes ₱69.787 million allocated for reward payments and ₱3.5 million spent on office equipment, such as tables, chairs, desktop computers, and printers. COA cited key documentation deficiencies, noting a lack of proof that the reported information-gathering activities achieved their intended operational outcomes.

This final affirmation follows an earlier COA decision from April 10, 2026, which Duterte and the two OVP officials appealed the following month.

Despite the setback, the OVP asserted that its primary operations remain uninterrupted.

"Nevertheless, the OVP remains committed to fulfilling its mandate—to develop and promote programs that uplift the lives of the Filipino people," the office added.

-Paraluman News