'Utos ni VP Sara': OVP exec admits giving envelopes to select DepEd officials

Manila Bulletin

Eduard Fajarda--a former official of the Department of Education (DepEd)-turned-executive in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has practically admitted distributing cash to select education officials, allegedly under the direct orders of Vice President Sara Duterte.  READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/11/26/sara-ovp-exec-admits-giving-envelopes-to-select-dep-ed-officials

Transcript

00:00How long have you been an SDO in DepEd? Or at least an employee in DepEd?

00:05I started in August 2022.

00:09Okay, so about two years as well, right?

00:12Yes.

00:13At that time, was there a chance that you reached out to the principals, superintendents, and regional directors,

00:21or the employees of DepEd to ask for their bank accounts to employ you?

00:28To the superintendent, Your Honor.

00:30Yes, that's the reason exactly why I'm asking, Mr. Chair,

00:34because there are photos spreading on social media involving exchanges between superintendents in Region 7.

00:43Can we request the secretariat to flash the messages?

00:48Secretariat?

00:49These messages mention the name Edward from the CO, which I think refers to a central office,

01:01or OSEC as I understand it.

01:05This is the office of the secretary. Can we ask the secretary to show it?

01:11There is one. Then the next.

01:14I will show you a number. I will bring it to you.

01:19Mr. Chair, with your permission, just for him to confirm.

01:43Mr. Chair, I have shown a number to Mr. Fajardo.

01:59He said that this is probably his number.

02:03Fajardo?

02:04Yes, Mr. Fajardo.

02:05That this number is his.

02:08Do you confirm, Mr. Fajardo?

02:12I confirm.

02:13Yes, okay.

02:14And because of these messages,

02:17Edward Fajardo, in the next screenshot, is asking for the bank account and bank details of the employees.

02:27Maybe the message is in Bisaya,

02:31but what I'm saying is, this is what I told you,

02:34the place is blurred, that someone will call you Edward,

02:38please give me your account number, that's legit.

02:41God bless.

02:43I'm showing you, also next,

02:47I'll also show you a screencap of the portion of the affidavit of former USEC Mercado,

02:52a former employee in the DepEd.

02:55I'll read it.

02:57Number five.

02:59Although the exact date evades recollection,

03:02sometime during the course of my tenure with the DepEd,

03:04a member of my staff informed me that an inquiry was made by one of our officers in the field,

03:10that Mr. Fajardo had made inquiries about the bank accounts of several individuals,

03:15and if divulging such information to Mr. Fajardo was permitted.

03:21My office confirmed that it was upon the instruction of the Office of the Secretary.

03:25Evidently, it would appear that regional directors and other employees on the field

03:31would also receive sums on top of the regular salaries.

03:34So Mr. Fajardo, why did you ask for their bank details?

03:41Mr. Chair, it is stated here that regional directors...

03:48But what you're saying is, who did you ask for?

03:50Superintendent.

03:52Whether superintendents or regional directors, why did you need to ask for personal bank details?

04:00Actually, I was instructed by VP Sara.

04:06Based on the instruction of VP Sara?

04:09Yes, Your Honor.

04:10Did you send money to these accounts?

04:14I sent some, but not all.

04:20Not all of the superintendents?

04:22Yes, Your Honor.

04:23How do you choose who to send and who not to send?

04:28As far as I know, those who gave account numbers,

04:32because during VP Sara's visit,

04:37you saw that the superintendents were spending their own money on their office fieldwork.

04:46But Mr. Fajardo, if you look at the screenshot,

04:50all the superintendents in Region 7 were contacted by you.

04:56Does this mean that all of them were given?

04:59Your Honor, actually, I don't know all of the superintendents.

05:02I'm not sure. I just know that not all of them.

05:06So, granted, based on what you replied,

05:11my question is, when you send money,

05:14do you use your personal account or the official account of Deped?

05:19I mean, their account number.

05:22Their account number.

05:24Where does the money come from that you send?

05:29VP Sara gives it to me.

05:32VP Sara herself, not through Attorney Sunshine?

05:35No, VP Sara. For that specific instruction.

05:40So, this is all about that.

05:42When we asked the superintendents and regional directors,

05:49we would expect that that would be the response,

05:53that not all of them, and not regular.

05:59Not all of them, because there are too many, and not regular.

06:04Okay. That's all, Mr. Chair.

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