ON APA ONGPIN

A letter...



STATEMENT OF REP. PAOLO Z. DUTERTE
on Apa Ongpin's statement alleging misuse of OVP intelligence funds
October 21, 2025

Before you start barking, maybe try running a city first, so you’d actually understand what governance means, sir.

You talk as if confidential and intelligence funds are some kind of secret stash. You clearly don’t know the nitty-gritty of how it works. Allow me to educate you a bit.

Confidential and intelligence funds are legally appropriated and audited under existing national guidelines — specifically Joint Circular No. 2015-01 by the DBM, COA, DILG, DND, and GCG. These funds are used strictly for information-gathering, security coordination, surveillance, and confidential operations.

Every disbursement requires proper documentation, liquidation, and is subject to COA post-audit. Hindi ito basta-basta lang na ginagastos kung kanino lang trip — contrary to your usual gossip-based conclusions.

Why do you think leftist groups hate the VP? Because of efforts of the Vice President as DepEd chief to end recruitments by the NPA from the grassroots level and strenghtening the education sector.

And before you question the Vice President’s office, maybe look around first. You think only the OVP gets confidential funds? 

How about the Office of the President, the DILG, the AFP, the PNP, the NBI — all of which have far bigger allocations? Did you ever ask who signs those billions? Or does your outrage conveniently end where your alliances begin?

So before you play ‘investigative expert’, I suggest you learn how government actually works. Try holding public office, try managing crises, try leading people — then maybe you’ll earn the right to lecture others about accountability.

Until then, keep your lectures to your boardroom, not on national policy. Governance is a responsibility you clearly haven’t carried.

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