Rep Chua denies political motive in OVP fund probe

Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua stated that the investigation into the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) flagged funds is not politically motivated, but rather initiated due to the substantial amounts involved, which he claims exceed the plunder threshold.

The Commission on Audit (COA) disallowed P73 million of the OVP's P125-million confidential funds for 2022, which represents 60% of the total allocated.

The House panel is also reviewing P500 million set for 2023, with only P51 million cleared by COA so far.

Chua highlighted that the flagged amounts surpass the P50-million threshold required to file a plunder case.

He emphasized that the immense scale and rapid disbursement of these potentially misused funds distinguish this case from other reported irregularities.

The OVP's liquidation reports for the P125 million, spent in just 11 days in December 2022, have raised questions due to a lack of detailed breakdowns and apparent hasty preparation.