Did Sara Duterte sanction ‘abono’ policy in her offices?

So, did certain Office of the Vice President officials really shell out their own money for the agency’s operations? Apparently, this was the case for OVP assistant chief of staff Lemuel Ortonio.

During the impeachment trial’s 18th day, Ortonio revealed that he actually gave out P150,000 from his own pocket.

This was revealed when counsel for the House prosecution Mae Divinagracia asked Ortonio about the P150,000 disparity in the OVP’s confidential funds spending. The OVP had P125 million, but the actual spending was P125,150,00.

At first, the OVP said the disparity might be because of the mix-up in the receipts. But nine days later, on March 22, 2024, Duterte’s office said the inconsistency was due to Ortonio’s own spending.

“The reconciliation shows that an amount of P50,000 under payment of reward and an amount of P100,000 under purchase of supplies were provided by Assistant Secretary Lemuel G. Ortonio out of his personal funds,” the OVP’s reply noted.

Why would Ortonio, an assistant chief of staff, shell out his own money? Is this common practice in the OVP?

“No, it’s not common,” Ortonio answered when Divinagracia asked.

Certain expenses may be reimbursed, subject to the Commission on Audit’s (COA) rules. The body, however, may require supporting documents to prove that the funds were used for government operations or in line of duty.

But confidential funds are different. COA Joint Circular No. 2015-01, which prescribes how confidential funds should be audited, does not allow the use of confidential funds as reimbursement for cash advances.

“Cash advances for CF and/or IF (confidential funds/ intelligence funds) shall be drawn by duly designated and bonded SDOs [special disbursing officers] or HoA [head of agency] for the implementation of a program, activity, and project chargeable to the corresponding CF and/or IF of the agency, upon approval of the HoA,” said the circular’s provision 6.1.2.

“In no case shall cash advance for CF and/or IF be utilized as reimbursement of the expenses prior to the granting of cash advance,” it added.

Defense spokesperson and counsel Michael Poa, who was Duterte’s chief of staff at the Department of Education, said he also had to shell out money on certain occasions. He, however, clarified that Duterte did not sanction an “abono” policy in her offices.

“I was a legal consultant-slash-spokesperson for the OVP during my time. Wala namang ganiyang directive na kailangan mong mag-abono (There’s no such directive that we have to shell out our own money),” he explained.

“But, of course, in the line of duty, there are instances when I’ve experienced myself na nag-abono ako (I shelled out money), and I don’t think that’s a secret because I’ve said that in public during one of the congressional hearings,” Poa added.

But was it really necessary for government officials and employees to spend their own funds while doing their duty as public servants?

Poa said there are times that require government officials to go above and beyond.

“I think all government officials and employees would attest to the fact that sometimes, in the exigency of service or, when needed, you cannot help but spend your own money,” the defense spokesperson said in a mix of English and Filipino. – Rappler.com