FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte criticized the Marcos administration for allegedly mismanaging public funds.
In a press conference in Davao City on November 25, 2024, Duterte dismissed the investigation into the misuse of the Office of the Vice President's confidential funds as "insignificant" compared to the country's larger issues, such as the ongoing financial strain on the nation.
He specifically called out the government's handling of funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), questioning the transfer of P89.9 billion in unused funds to the national treasury.
“Ang tingin ko na mas mabigat ng problema na dapat malaman ng Pilipino is nag hemorrhage ang country. Pati nga yung PhilHealth na hindi dapat sa gobyerno, contribution natin yan... That is the most dangerous, at dapat — P***ng i***g estafa 'yan (I believe the bigger problem that Filipinos should know is that the country is hemorrhaging. Even PhilHealth, which shouldn't be with the government, is our contribution. That is the most dangerous, and it should be — that's estafa)," Duterte said.
Duterte said that PhilHealth is not meant for the government, as it is a contribution from every employee who worked hard to earn those benefits.
"Government malversed the money of the people. Ginamit niyo 'yung pera ng (You used the people's money). Even Congress cannot do that. Trust fund 'yun...," Duterte said, accusing the government of misappropriating public money. He expressed concerns that the funds could have been used for critical health needs like cancer treatment.
In April, the Department of Finance ordered PhilHealth to return excess funds under the 2024 General Appropriations Act. By October, P60 billion had been transferred to the national treasury, with more expected by November. However, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on the transfer in October 2024.
Duterte also criticized the government for a lack of major projects, alleging that funds are being drained for financial aid distribution, which he believes could be part of a premature campaign strategy.
“Ang gobyerno na ito walang project, kasi sa ayuda… nauubos don, inuubos ni [House Speaker Martin] Romualdez. Si Romualdez congressman lang tapos left and right ang pamigay niya (This government has no projects because it's all about aid... it's being depleted, being used up by [House Speaker Martin] Romualdez. Romualdez is just a congressman, yet he's handing out money left and right),” the former president said.
Romualdez, whom the former president previously referred to as "President Ayuda," is said to be positioning himself to become the country's next leader. Romualdez, who is also the cousin of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., has been heavily involved in distributing financial aid across the country.
He also alleged that the administration took P250 billion from government financial institutions, including the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
Additionally, he raised concerns about the whereabouts of proceeds from the 25 tons of gold reserves, valued at P129,314,015,967.
Duterte further claimed that this money has been depleted through the distribution of financial aid across the country, which critics are questioning as a premature campaign tactic.
"Ang mahirap kasi nito is magkakaroon ng anomaly (This could lead to anomaly)," Duterte warned, adding that there may be a shortage of funding for essential programs and services.
The Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF), also called the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), is the Philippines' first sovereign wealth fund, managed by the Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC).
The fund will be invested in various assets, including foreign currencies, fixed-income instruments, corporate bonds (both domestic and international), commercial real estate, and infrastructure projects.
The MIF is expected to generate returns to support the government’s economic objectives, as outlined in the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, the eight-point Socioeconomic Agenda, and the Philippine Development Plan.
Duterte stated that he has yet to explore the legal options available to prevent the transfer of PhilHealth funds to the national treasury. RGL
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