OVP legal chief excused from House hearing for lack of authorization

An individual claiming to head the Office of the Vice President (OVP) Legal Affairs Department was excused from a House of Representatives hearing on Monday after refusing to take an oath and lacking proper authorization.

Atty. Emily Rose Torrentira, chief of the OVP's Legal Affairs Division, refused to raise her right hand when directed by lawmakers despite insisting she was not refusing to take her oath.

Representative Jay-jay Suarez noted that Torrentira was not invited to attend the hearing and questioned her presence at the committee meeting.

Deputy Speaker David Suarez clarified that Torrentira was excused due to her inability to prove she was authorized to represent the OVP, raising concerns about her legitimacy.

The committee has been investigating fund misuse at the OVP and Department of Education under Vice President Sara Duterte since September, including irregularities in confidential fund expenditures.

COA issued a notice disallowing P73.2 million from the OVP's 2022 confidential fund, leading lawmakers to scrutinize budget utilization issues.