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Unang Balita is the news segment of GMA Network's daily morning program, Unang Hirit. It's anchored by Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Ivan Mayrina, and Mariz Umali, and airs on GMA-7 Mondays to Fridays at 5:30 AM (PHL Time). For more videos from Unang Balita, visit http://www.gmanetwork.com/unangbalita.

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Transcript
00:00An official of the Department of Education said in a hearing of the House Quad Committee that he also received envelopes worth Php 1,000,000 in 2023.
00:12The President's Office also received Php 16,000,000 in a hearing within 11 days of 2022.
00:21First news, Ian Cruz.
00:23In the continuation of the House Committee on Good Government, Atty. Resty Ocias, who was formerly the Director IV of the DepEd, met Vice President Sara Duterte.
00:38According to Ocias, he received four envelopes from April to September of 2023, when he was not yet the Chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee VI of the DepEd.
00:49He received Php 12,000 to Php 15,000 worth of envelopes, which he received from Noy Asek Sunshine Fajarda.
01:19I was given an envelope, and it was later on I found out that there was money in it, but it was not because I was a BAC member or whatever yet, because I was not at that time.
01:30After September, Ocias was no longer accepted. A congressman immediately condemned him.
01:36It seems that the Confidential Fund was not used by the DepEd for the last quarter of the issue of the Confidential Fund.
01:46At the time of the hearing, the former Education Undersecretary Gloria Humamil Mercado believed that she received an envelope worth Php 50,000 in 2023.
01:59The Vice President's reaction was disgruntled.
02:05Mercado requested Php 16 million from a company using the name of the Vice President without authorization, which was denied by Mercado.
02:14At the hearing, the former DepEd Spokesman Atty. Michael Poa was also asked if he received an envelope.
02:20He admitted that he received something, but Poa explained that it was probably his Php 3,000 to Php 4,000 if there was a problem.
02:29Do you remember sometime December 2022 or early December, I did receive an envelope, just minimal amount.
02:39There were instances that I would receive, but not from ASEC. VP gave it to me herself.
02:44GMA Integrated News is still trying to get a copy of VP Sara, as well as ASEC Fajarda, from the mentioned officials.
02:51At the hearing of the House Committee on Good Government, the Office of the Vice President discussed the Php 16 million paid for the use of 34 safe houses within 11 days of 2022.
03:04Each safe house was paid Php 250,000, Php 500,000, and there were two safe houses that were paid Php 1,000,000 as rent for just 11 days.
03:18For 11 days, Php 500,000 for one safe house?
03:23Yes, Mr. Chair.
03:24Now, if I ask you, how much would that be per day for one safe house?
03:34Mr. Chair, it would amount to Php 45,000 something, Php 45,454.55 per day.
03:44What kind of safe house is this that would cost you Php 45,000 per day?
03:50Meanwhile, in other beautiful places, it would be even cheaper than here at Php 45,000.
04:00Could you give us an idea of that?
04:04Mr. Chair, we do not have information on the safe houses.
04:09The OVP obtained the funds from its confidential funds, part of the controversial Php 125,000,000 funds spent by Vice President Duterte within 11 days.
04:21OVP submitted only acknowledgment receipts to the Commission on Audit as proof of how the funds were used.
04:30Some of the acknowledgment receipts do not include the name of the recipient of the payment.
04:36Some of the names are unreadable.
04:38Some are also not signed.
04:40According to the OVP obtained by Attorney Gloria Camora, they do not have any other details about these safe houses.
04:46What is stated in the OVP accomplishment report is that the safe houses are for the safe implementation of OVP initiatives and confidence building.
04:57The committee also subpoenaed the six officials of the Office of the Vice President who were not present at the hearing.
05:03They also requested the Bureau of Immigration to include them in the lookout bulletin.
05:08We are asking VP Sara and the Office of the Vice President to comment on this.
05:13In the position paper submitted by the OVP to the House panel,
05:16the officials stated that they did not attend the hearing because it did not happen in aid of legislation.
05:23The data they are asking for can be verified through the reports obtained.
05:30In the new statement of the OVP, it stated that it is unnecessary or does not require the hearing of the Committee on Good Government
05:37and that the resource persons are not obligated to attend.
05:41The OVP is also careful in discussing issues pending in the Supreme Court due to the sub judice rule
05:48and since it is possible for them to influence the hearing in the auditing of COA, the hearings should also be suspended.
05:56This is the first news. Ian Cruz for GMA Integrated News.
06:18GMA Integrated News
06:48GMA Integrated News
07:18www.gmanews.tv

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