List of alleged VP fund recipients gets stranger

MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V on Sunday cited more curious names in the growing list of alleged recipients of the confidential funds for Vice President Sara Duterte.

Among the names identified by the La Union congressman were “Amoy Liu,” “Fernan Amuy” and “Joug de Asim,” dubbed “Team Amoy Asim” (sour-smelling). They were among the supposed recipients of the P112.5 million in confidential funds for the Department of Education (DepEd), when it was headed by Duterte.

Ortega said he found their names as part of the House of Representatives’ continuing review of the evidence against Duterte, particularly the allegedly fake acknowledgment receipts for the P612.5-million confidential funds spent by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and DepEd. This is in preparation for Duterte’s impeachment trial.

READ: Lawmaker bares more odd names linked to Piattos, OVP confi funds

He noted that the three new strange-sounding names were found to have signed acknowledgment receipts for the payment of rewards, the purchase of information, goods, medicine, food, and other supplies, and the rental of vehicles and a safe house.

No PSA records

Ortega added that a check with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) by the House committee on good government and public accountability did not turn up any birth, marriage, or death records for Liu, Amuy and De Asim.

“First, we have junk food, cell phone and a fruit. Then we have the ‘Dodong Gang.’ Now we have ‘Team Amoy Asim,’ If the fake names already appear sour on the list, what more in an actual transaction?” Ortega said in Filipino.

He cited PSA findings showing that 1,332 of 1,992 supposed OVP confidential fund recipients and 405 of 677 listed as DepEd confidential fund beneficiaries had no birth records. The absence of PSA records indicated they were likely fabricated, he said.

“What kind of payroll is this? All the names seem to have been made up. Something like this is impossible if we’re following the right procedure,” Ortega said.

Erwin Ewan, Jael Zumba

Other supposed beneficiaries of the DepEd’s confidential funds who were found to be nonexistent include Andong Mio, Erwin Q. Ewan, Ellaine Aray; Mutya Palanca, Panglaw Quizon, Dandu Dondie Silud, Dunates Zeta, Mike Delta and Jael Zumba.

Supposed recipients of the OVP’s P500-million confidential funds who had no PSA records include Mary Grace Piattos, Renan Piatos, Pia Piatos-Lim, Xiaome Ocho, Jay Kamote, Miggy Mango, Dodong S. Barok, Dodong Alcala, Dodong Bina, Dodong Bunal and Dodong Darong.

The lawmaker said the lack of public records for these names, submitted by the OVP and DepEd to the Commission on Audit to justify their confidential fund spending, raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the disbursements.

Ortega stressed that the increasing number of bizarre names seemed to indicate a deliberate scheme to fabricate recipients and misuse public funds, pointing out in Filipino, “This isn’t just simple negligence. The names on the liquidation are fake. Where’s their accountability?”

(2025/03/24-04:50)