Mary Grace Piattos could be 'smoking gun' in Sara Duterte confi funds issue —Ridon

“Mary Grace Piattos”—if she exists—could be the “smoking gun” in the confidential funds issue against Vice President Sara Duterte, Bicol Saro Representative Terry Ridon said on Thursday.

“Mahalaga ‘yung Mary Grace Piattos kasi nasa sentro siya ng kontrobersiya ng paggamit ng confidential funds. ‘Yung existence or non-existence ni Mary Grace Piattos, yun po ang smoking gun kung tama nga o mali ang paggamit ng confidential funds,” ” Ridon told reporters in a media briefing.

(Mary Grace Piattos is crucial because she is at the center of the alleged misuse of confidential funds. Her existence or non-existence could be the smoking gun to prove if there is such misuse.)

“Going back to the COA [Commission on Audit] reports, marami dun ang obviously, hindi tama ang paggamit ng confidential funds. Kaya nga in each and every year na may confidential funds ang Pangalawang Pangulo, may mga pinapasoli na pera sa kaban ng bayan,” he said.

(Going back to the COA reports, there were a lot of misuse that’s why in each and every year the VP has confidential funds, the COA ask them to return public funds.)

A pre-trial brief obtained by GMA News Online showed that “Mary Grace Piattos” is listed among the witnesses of the House of Representatives prosecution team.

The name Mary Grace Piattos first gained prominence during the 2024 House good government and public accountability inquiry on the budget use of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education wherein acknowledgment receipts of confidential fund disbursements showed that she was one of those who received the confidential funds from the Vice President’s offices.

The Philippine Statistics Authority, however, told the House inquiry that it does not have birth, death or any other identification records of a person named “Mary Grace Piattos.”

Asked how they will present the witness if she is non-existent, Ridon said: “Abangan na lang natin.”

(Let’s wait and see.)

Michael Poa, one of Duterte’s lawyers, welcomed Piattos’ inclusion in prosecution’s list of witnesses, saying it is the House prosecutors’ “prerogative” to present her in court. He also said the defense is ready to cross-examine her statements.

“Ang narinig ko, I think kaninang umaga lang, nabanggit daw that part siya ng witnesses ng prosecution. Well, that's the prerogative of the prosecution. Sa amin nga, parati namin sinasabi, once they're presented, they will be subjected to cross-examination on our part,” he added.

(She’s not part of our list of witnesses. I heard this morning that the House prosecutors will present her. Well, that's the prerogative of the prosecution. But for us, once they're presented, they will be subjected to cross-examination on our part.)

The pre-trial conference concluded on Thursday, June 25 after it commenced on June 18. It lasted for five session days.

After its conclusion, the Senate impeachment court will issue a pre-trial order detailing a road map for Duterte’s impeachment trial, which is scheduled to start by July 6.

Duterte is facing impeachment charges over allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes. In May, she was impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time. — BM, GMA News