By Clarist Mae Zablan
(December 6, 2024) – A panel in the House of Representatives has asked the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to verify the civil registry records of 677 more names listed as recipients of confidential funds under Vice Pres. Sara Duterte-Carpio after “Mary Grace Piattos” was found to be non-existent.
Manila Rep. Joel Chua, the chairperson of the committee on good government and public accountability, wrote to the PSA to aid them in their inquiry into the spending of public funds of Duterte-Carpio.
“Ensuring the authenticity of these recipients is crucial for maintaining transparency and accountability in the use of public funds,” said Chua on Friday in a news release. “We are committed to uncovering the truth behind these transactions.”
“Mary Grace Piattos” is among the supposed recipients of the combined P612.5 million worth of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), which Duterte-Carpio previously headed, based on the acknowledgment receipts submitted to the Commission on Audit.
But lawmakers questioned if she was a real person due to her name, which presumably references two popular food businesses.
Last Tuesday, the PSA confirmed to Chua that it did not find civil registry records with the name “Mary Grace Piattos.”
“If (‘Mary Grace Piattos’ doesn’t) exist in official records, we have to question whether the other 677 names are legitimate or if they are part of a wider scheme to misuse funds,” said Chua.
The allegations of irregular spending of the OVP and the DepEd under Duterte-Carpio have been among the basis of the two impeachment complaints filed in the lower house against the embattled vice president.
Duterte-Carpio has denied the alleged misuse of confidential funds but has refused to explain how she disbursed them, particularly the P125 million spent in just 11 days in December 2022.
(PM)
Our Privacy Commitment
TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.
We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.
Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?
We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:
Where do we get your personal information?
There are several ways we collect your personal information.
Information that you personally provided.
Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
Information we collect during your engagement with us
We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
Information we collect from other sources
Other means of collection of information may be through:
When do we disclose personal information?
There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.
We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.
In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.
How we protect your personal information
The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.
We also put in effect the following safeguards:
TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.
What are your choices?
We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.
If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.
Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph
What happens when there are changes in our Policy?
From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.
You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.