SC orders OVP, OES, DBM to comment on intel fund transfer

FILE: Facade of Supreme Court of the Philippines (PNA photo)

MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) ordered the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and two other national agencies to comment on a suit questioning the transfer of PHP125 million in confidential intelligence funds in 2022.

In a resolution dated Nov. 14 and made public on Monday, the court required Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, Lucas Bersamin of the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) and Secretary Amenah Pangandaman of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to comment on the petition within 10 days.

The suit was filed by former Commissions on Elections chair Christian Monsod and lawyer Ibarra Gutierrez III, also a spokesperson of former vice president Leni Robredo.

The suit claims that the decision of the DBM to release PHP125 million to the OVP was a “usurpation” of the legislative powers of Congress.

A separate suit filed last month also questioned two executive orders issued during the previous administration covering the confidential funds.