Lemuel Ortonio, one of Vice President Sara Duterte’s top aides, took offense at Sen. Raffy Tulfo’s remark that he was feigning ignorance over confidential fund use, saying that he only fulfilled his duties within the limitations in place.
Tulfo said the public is more offended by the alleged squandering of the funds.
The exchange came as senator-judges questioned Ortonio, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Office of the Vice President, over his testimony that part of the office’s P500 million confidential funds was used to give cash to informants to purchase medicines and supplies.
Ortonio said this was how the OVP’s security officer, Col. Raymund Lachica, explained the use of the funds for medicines and supplies after it was flagged by the Commission on Audit.
Ortonio prepared the OVP’s response to the COA and said that as he understood it, the process was allowed by law.
Tulfo asked why Ortonio did not ask Lachica why the OVP was giving money for informants to buy medicines, saying it was his responsibility to know given that he signed the OVP’s response to the COA findings.
Ortonio said he’s not certain that it is really his responsibility to know this, noting that he was not the one who carried out the confidential activities.
But Tulfo said this was unbelievable and “defies logic.”
He also said the OVP could have just secured free medicines from the Department of Health for its numerous informants who needed them.
“For me, it really defies logic. Sayang po yung pagkatalino mo rito. Nasira po yung pagiging isang matalino mong tao po. Nakakahiya sa mga eskuweluhan kung saan ka nag-aral at nag-graduate, because ngayon pinakita mo na nagsasalita ka na para kang, sorry sir, sorry sir, nagtatanga-tangahan,” he said.
But Ortonio rejected the comment.
“With all due respect, your honor, I personally take offense on that comment, sir. I actually just did my duties, sir. At the time sir, I believed na iyon po yung kailangan kong gawin bilang isang empleyado po, sir,” he said.
“I did my work based on what was tasked of me, including the limitations that I can do to the duty that I will be doing,” he added.
Tulfo said Ortonio was a high-ranking official who was also close to Duterte and had the right to ask questions about the use of confidential funds.
“Now, you’re talking about taking offense. Paano naman po yung mga taong bayan? They’re being offended sa paglulustay niyo ng pera, lumilitaw na parang nilulustay ang pera dito eh. Pera ng taong bayan po ito, ang pinag-uusapan natin,” he said.
“If you’re taking offense, mas lalo pong offended ang napakaraming Pilipino ngayon kasi hindi pa po nabibigay ang tamang sagot,” he added.
Ortonio pointed out that the COA’s adverse findings on the confidential funds are still not final because the OVP has submitted a motion for reconsideration.
Aside from Tulfo, Sen. Francis Pangilinan also questioned giving money to informants to buy medicines and supplies, noting that Ortonio headed the Bids and Awards Committee and should have known that purchasing supplies using public funds requires bidding.
Ortonio said he only became aware about the giving of cash to informants to buy supplies when the OVP received the COA’s audit observation memorandum.
Pangilinan said that since Ortonio was not involved in the implementation, he does not know if the P122 million given to buy medicines was actually used to buy medicines.
He asked Ortonio if he considered this practice usual when using government funds.
Ortonio replied that based on his understanding, it went through the process that is allowable by law.