By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
During a press conference on Monday, Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of Zambales and Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V announced that it is offering a P1-million reward for information on “Mary Grace Piattos,” a name appearing in suspicious liquidation documents linked to the alleged misuse of P612.5 government funds by Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Kami sa Blue Ribbon Committee at Quad Committee, aming binibigyan ng importansya na kailangan dumating ‘yung mga ipinatawag natin, lalong-lalo na pati ‘yung mga pumirma sa acknowledgment receipts,” Khonghun explains.
“So nag-usap-usap kami, boluntaryo, na magbibigay kami ng pabuya na P1 milyon sa kung sinumang makakapagsabi o makakapagbigay ng impormasyon kung sino si Mary Grace Piattos,” he added.
Mary Grace Piattos, which resembles a combination of a popular restaurant and a local snack brand, has sparked both public curiosity and ridicule. However, lawmakers view the issue as a serious matter of accountability.
Khonghun explained that Piattos allegedly received the largest share of confidential funds disbursed by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in December 2022, stressing that if the House cannot find proof of existence for Mary Grace Piattos, then other people whose names appear on the liquidation reports are considered as ‘fictitious’.
The controversy centers on 158 acknowledgment receipts attached to the liquidation reports submitted by the OVP to the Commission on Audit (COA). Lawmakers suspect the receipts were fabricated or hastily prepared to justify P125 million in confidential funds that were allegedly spent in just 11 days, comparing the speed of liquidation to the infamous pork barrel scam orchestrated by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.
“Ang pondo ay nagastos ng 11 days, mas mabilis pa,” Khonghun said. “Sabi nga natin kung si Napoles, 60 days niya nagastos ‘yung pondo, ito 11 days lang.”
Red flags surface on uncovered acknowledgement receipts
Meanwhile, Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V flagged the recurring fictitious names and repetitive handwriting on the receipts.
“Napakadami na pong imbitasyon lalo sa mga sumusunod sa ating hearings. We’ve been lenient enough na bigay ng imbitasyon, may orders na for the resource person. It’s about time they attend and explain ang mga anomalya na nangyayari,” Ortega said.
“Sabi nga ni Congressman Jay, isama mo na rin si Chippy McDonald. Sino pa ba ‘yung mga fictitious na tao na na-mention? Siyempre ang pinakasikat na na-mention si Mary Grace Piattos na patuloy po nating hinahanap para po maipaliwanag ‘yung mga acknowledgment receipt.” he added.
The House Blue Ribbon Committee, formally the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, is investigating how the OVP and Department of Education handled a total of P612.5 million in confidential funds across 2022 and 2023 during Duterte’s tenure as Vice President and Education Secretary.
1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez earlier described the receipts as “spurious and bogus,” citing discrepancies such as identical handwriting, vague expense details, and implausible dates; he also questioned why some receipts listed expenses for November 2022 when the funds were only disbursed in December 2022.
Lawmakers said the P1-million bounty underscores the importance of resolving the issue and ensuring accountability in government spending.
“Kung sino ang makakapagturo para malaman natin kung sino ang makakatukoy ng pagkatao ni Mary Grace Piattos at matutulungan tayo na maiharap siya sa hearing kasi gusto naming malaman kung may katotohanan ba ‘yung katauhan ni Mary Grace Piattos,” Khonghun said.
The investigation is ongoing, with lawmakers determined to uncover the truth and restore public trust in government processes. (with report from Mela Lesmoras/PTV News)
-avds