Politics · Philippines Bureau
Tulfo presses OVP official over confidential funds audit handling
Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo questioned Office of the Vice President Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio on Wednesday over the agency's response to an audit memorandum regarding confidential fund expenditures. Ortonio appeared as the prosecution panel's second hostile witness in the ongoing investigation.
LSN Philippines ·
During the Senate hearing in Manila, Tulfo pressed Ortonio on why the OVP allegedly failed to conduct a thorough examination of confidential fund usage following receipt of an Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) from the Commission on Audit.
The questioning focused on the timeline and scope of the OVP's internal investigation into how confidential funds were allocated and spent. Tulfo sought to establish whether proper protocols were followed when the initial audit findings were communicated to the office.
Ortonio's appearance marked a significant development in the Senate's scrutiny of the Vice President's office operations. As Assistant Chief of Staff, Ortonio holds a key administrative position that would make him privy to decisions regarding the handling of audit concerns and fund management procedures.
The interrogation underscores ongoing legislative oversight of how the OVP manages its finances, particularly discretionary funds that are classified as confidential. The AOM serves as an official record of audit findings that typically requires formal response and corrective action from the audited agency.