VP's confidential fund recipient has no PSA records, audit reveals

A statistician from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reiterated on Monday that Mary Grace Piattos, identified as a beneficiary of the Office of the Vice President's confidential funds, has no registration in the agency's database.

According to acknowledgement receipts submitted by the OVP to the Commission on Audit, Piattos was listed as having received portions of the vice president's discretionary allocations. However, the PSA's verification found no corresponding records for an individual by that name.

The disclosure comes amid mounting scrutiny of Vice President Duterte's handling of confidential and intelligence funds. The Commission on Audit has been reviewing documentation the OVP submitted to justify its use of these allocations, which are typically exempt from public disclosure but subject to internal audit oversight.

The apparent discrepancy between the OVP's submitted receipts and PSA records has raised questions about the transparency and accountability of the vice president's office in managing public funds. Lawmakers investigating the matter have signaled that further examination of the fund disbursements may be warranted.