PSA says no records found for alleged OVP fund recipient ‘Mary Grace Piattos’
“Mary Grace Piattos,” who was allegedly among the recipients of the confidential funds from the office of Vice President Sara Duterte, has no records at the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The PSA said upon checking its Civil Registry System database, the certain individual was found to have no Certificate of Live Birth, Certificate of Marriage, and Certificate of Death.
“However, if additional information such as the name of parents of the subject, date, and place of the vital event can be provided, we can search further and be able to ascertain whether the civil registry document is available on the database,” the PSA added.
As stated in the document, the certification was issued on Nov. 25 to Rep. Joel Chua, the chairperson of the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.
Mary Grace Piattos' signature appeared in acknowledgment receipts for confidential funds of the offices held by Duterte: the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and, from 2022 to 2023, the Department of Education (DepEd).
But administration lawmakers aren't buying it, believing that the "person" isn't real. On Nov. 18, the House committee announced it's offering a reward worth P1 million for any information on Mary Grace Piattos.
"[Mahalagang] malaman natin kung ano 'yung katotohanan," said Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, committee vice chairman, in a press conference. "Napaka-importante na ‘yung mga tao mismo na tumanggap ng pondo, pumirma sa acknowledgement receipt, makausap at maka-attend ng hearing. Isa na nga dito, si Mary Grace Piattos."
Duterte has been in hot water for the alleged misuse of funds for her offices' programs and her refusal to answer questions regarding her offices' expenses, particularly the confidential funds worth P775 million for the OVP and DepEd during her budget proposal's first hearing. She was seeking a P2.037-billion budget for 2025, which was cut to P733 million. Her office has a P1.885-billion budget for 2024.