Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong has challenged the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte to present individuals listed as recipients of confidential funds to disprove allegations of financial misuse.
Adiong, serving as a spokesperson for the House prosecution panel, stated that producing individuals like Mary Grace Piattos and Kokoy Villamin would verify that the names found on acknowledgment receipts submitted to the Commission on Audit (COA) belong to real people rather than fabricated identities.
“So inaantay po natin mag-produce po ang depensa, na pabulaanan. Sana ganun ‘yung inaantay natin ng mga sagot nila, na meron talagang Mary Grace Piattos, Kokoy Villamin,” Adiong said in a radio interview.
The lawmaker pointed out that the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has no records matching these names in its national database. Furthermore, he cited findings from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) indicating that multiple signatures on the submitted acknowledgment receipts appeared to have been penned by the same individual or group of individuals.
Adiong emphasized that the Vice President’s legal defense must directly address these inconsistencies by proving the existence of the recipients.
“provide personalities or identities of persons who have actually received the confidential funds, persons who have actually signed the acknowledgement receipts.”
He warned that a failure to present these individuals would only validate suspicions regarding the legitimacy of the documents.
“Otherwise, if you cannot produce and you cannot answer, these are the things that will stand out in the public’s consciousness. Makatotoo nga talaga ang sinasabi ng PSA na walang record at saka walang tao na nangangalan na ganito at saka yung mga signatures ay mukhang isa lang yung gumawa,” he pointed out.
The identity of Mary Grace Piattos first drew widespread public scrutiny during previous legislative hearings held by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.
Listed as a recipient of confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President, the name quickly went viral due to its striking similarity to a well-known local restaurant chain and a popular brand of potato chips.