Duterte authorized all confidential fund activities, aide says

Lemuel Ortonio made the assertion in response to inquiries into the handling of confidential funds (CFs) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from the fourth quarter of 2022 through the third quarter of 2023. He stated that Duterte personally knew of and approved all processes and activities related to the substantial budget allocation. The confidential funds in question represent a significant portion of the vice president's discretionary spending during the period under scrutiny. Duterte has faced mounting scrutiny over the office's use of the confidential funds, with critics calling for greater transparency and accountability in how the money was spent. The vice president's office has not yet released detailed accounting of the expenditures, citing the confidential nature of such funds under Philippine budget regulations.