OVP executive admits handing cash envelopes to DepEd officials

CASH ENVELOPES. Edward Fajarda, former special disbursing officer (SDO) of the Department of Education, admits distributing envelopes with cash to selected education officials under the direct orders of Vice President Sara Duterte during the House Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Monday night (Nov. 25, 2024). | Photo courtesy of House Press and Public Affairs Bureau via PNA

MANILA – A former special disbursing officer (SDO) of the Department of Education has admitted distributing envelopes with cash to selected education officials under the direct orders of Vice President Sara Duterte.

During the House of Representatives Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Monday night, former DepEd SDO Edward Fajarda, now serving as an executive in the Office of the Vice President (OVP), testified that he solicited personal bank account details from DepEd officials and delivered cash envelopes as instructed by Duterte.

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“Actually po, I was instructed by VP Sara,” Fajarda said when questioned by House Assistant Majority Leader Jude Acidre about why he was asking about their bank details.

Fajarda said the instructions came directly from Duterte and that the funds were handed to him by the Vice President herself.

He said the cash envelopes were distributed to DepEd superintendents, although not all received them.

“During po kasi sa pag-iikot ni VP Sara, nakita po niya dun yung superintendent gumagastos ng sarili nilang pera sa office field work nila (During VP Sara’s visits, she observed that some superintendents were spending their personal money on office field work),” Fajarda said.

However, Acidre presented evidence, including screenshots and affidavits, suggesting that a broader group of officials, particularly in Region 7 (Central Visayas), had been contacted.

“Kung titignan mo sa screenshot, yung lahat po ng superintendent sa Region 7 ay inyo pong kinontak at hiningan. Ibig sabihin silang lahat po nabigyan (Based on the screenshots, it seems all superintendents in Region 7 were contacted. Does that mean they all received cash)?” Acidre said.

Fajarda reiterated that not all superintendents received the cash envelopes.

When asked about where the funds came from, Fajarda confirmed that it was handed out by the Vice President.

“Binibigay po yun sa akin ni VP Sara (VP Sara gave it to me),” he said.

This admission aligns with similar disclosures from other former DepEd officials, including former undersecretary Gloria Mercado and former chief accountant Rhunna Catalan, who previously acknowledged receiving cash from Duterte.

Acidre highlighted the pattern, noting the consistency of the testimonies across multiple witnesses.

“Pag naging panauhin po namin ang mga superintendents at regional directors, we would expect that would be the response – na hindi po lahat at hindi po regular (When we bring in superintendents and regional directors, we expect the response will be that not everyone received cash, and it was irregular)?” Acidre said.

“Yes, Your Honor,” Fajarda replied.

Disbursement of confidential funds

During the same hearing, OVP SDO Gina Acosta admitted releasing PHP125 million in confidential funds to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, the commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, on Dec. 20, 2022.

The entire amount was encashed and handed over on the same day.

Similarly, Fajarda disclosed that PHP37.5 million in confidential funds for the first quarter of 2023 was turned over to Col. Dennis Nolasco, DepEd’s designated security officer.

Both SDOs confirmed that the transactions were carried out under Duterte’s direct orders.

“Ang head of agency ang nag-instruct na i-release sa aming security officer (The head of the agency instructed us to release the funds to our security officer),” Acosta said.

House Deputy Speaker, Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez, grilled Fajarda on the authority that allowed Nolasco to manage the funds.

“Who gave the power for him to be designated officer? Who is it?” Suarez asked.

Fajarda responded that the directive came directly from Vice President Duterte.

“I was informed by VP Sara that there is a designated security officer,” he said.

The PHP37.5 million, part of the PHP112.5 million in confidential funds under DepEd, was encashed as a cash advance by SDO Fajarda during the first quarter of 2023, with two additional checks of the same amount withdrawn in subsequent quarters while Duterte was leading the education department.

The PHP125 million encashed and handed over by Acosta to Lachica represented the confidential funds allocated to the OVP for the last quarter of 2022, but were used within just 11 days in December of that year.

The OVP subsequently received an additional PHP125 million per quarter for the first three quarters of 2023.

The Commission on Audit flagged nearly half of the initial PHP125 million, disallowing PHP73 million spent in the 11-day period in late 2022.

Audit Observation Memorandums were also issued for the remaining PHP375 million spent in 2023, citing multiple irregularities. (PNA)