The Office of the Vice President (OVP), led by VP Sara Duterte, has just received a very rare and important recognition from the government’s top auditors — a clean bill on how it handles money.
The Commission on Audit (COA), the group that checks how government offices spend public funds, gave the OVP an “unmodified opinion” in its 2024 audit report. This is the third year in a row that the OVP received this kind of opinion.
🧾 What Is an “Unmodified Opinion”?
Let’s break it down simply:
An unmodified opinion means that COA didn’t find any big problems or errors in how the OVP recorded and used its money. Everything looked clear, correct, and followed the rules. In short, it’s like saying, “Your financial homework is neat, complete, and follows the instructions.”
COA said the OVP’s financial reports as of December 31, 2024, were:
✔️ Properly done
✔️ Truthful and honest
✔️ In line with international accounting standards for government agencies
🏛️ Why Is This a Big Deal?
It’s a big deal because an unmodified opinion is hard to get, especially during a time when the OVP is facing major political conflict.
Remember: Vice President Duterte is currently facing an impeachment trial. On February 5, the House of Representatives approved the impeachment complaint against her. And on June 10, the Senate began its preparations for the trial in the upcoming 20th Congress.
Among the serious charges:
⚠️ Alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds
⚠️ Questions about how those funds were spent and reported
Duterte has denied all accusations, insisting that the funds were used properly.
📌 So How Can the OVP Still Get a Clean Report?
COA explained something very important:
Their “unmodified opinion” only applies to the financial audit — not to the other parts of the investigation like performance or compliance audits.
Also, the opinion isn’t a score or grade like in school. It doesn’t mean an agency is perfect. It simply says that the financial documents looked correct and followed the rules.
🗣️ What Did the OVP Say?
The Office of the Vice President proudly shared that the clean audit shows its commitment to transparency, accountability, and using taxpayer money wisely. They also said it proves they’re following the law and managing funds properly.
⚖️ What’s Next?
Even with a clean audit report, the impeachment trial will move forward. The unmodified opinion may strengthen Duterte’s defense — but it doesn’t erase the other charges.
In the coming months, the nation will watch closely as the trial unfolds.
Will this audit report help clear her name — or will the conflict deepen?
