PSA: Some OVP, DepEd confidential fund recipients had names of kids, dead people

TRIAL. Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande takes the witness stand in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on September 7, 2026. Senate screenshot The Philippine Statistics Authority says 1,685 names in the confidential fund receipts have no birth, marriage, or death records A Philippine Statistics Authority official revealed that many signatories of confidential fund receipts for Vice President Sara Duterte's offices had names of either deceased, children, or non-existent individuals. Out of 2,669 alleged payees, only 152 matched entries in the civil registry, with 37 having death records and 25 being under 16 years old. Duterte's defense argued that not all births and deaths are recorded, suggesting the names could be aliases, while concerns were raised about the possibility of a single person signing multiple receipts. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. MANILA, Philippines – A top official of the Philippine Statistics Authority told the impeachment court on Monday, September 7, that the signatories of the confidential fund receipts of Vice President Sara Duterte‘s offices bore the names of children and dead people. According to Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande, out of 2,669 alleged confidential fund payees of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), only 152 had a single-matched entry in the PSA’s civil registry system. From that number, 37 had death records, such as the names Fortunato Salig, Emilio Sagan, Rodolfo Traya, and Marlin Sunga. Twenty-five names, meanwhile, have birthdays that indicate they are under 16 years old, such as Beatrice Cuenca, Miko Aluizar, and Mikay delos Reyes. In total, 1,685 names have no PSA certificates of live birth, marriage, or death. “In short, confidential funds were liquidated in the names of the non-existent, the long dead, and children,” prosecutor Mae Divinagracia said in her offer of testimony. The non-existent records include that of “Mary Grace Piattos,” the infamous name flagged during the House’s investigation against Duterte’s confidential spending in 2024. The name appears to be a combination of a restaurant chain and a snack brand. Piattos was originally part of the witness list of the prosecution, but the team said it will no longer present her. “What’s important is that according to PSA records, she doesn’t exist. It’s difficult to find someone who does not exist,” prosecution spokesman Zia Alonto Adiong said. Defending the Vice President, her lawyer Justin Gular argued that not all births, marriage, and deaths are recorded in the PSA’s database, and that the PSA does not have a repository of aliases used in confidential operations. Duterte’s camp also claimed for the first time that the names were aliases. Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo said the use of aliases in government agencies such as the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation is a standard operating procedure but he flagged the possibility that only one person signed the receipts due to similar handwriting. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading