PSA, NBI verifying 'Chel Diokno,' 'Marian Rivera' names in VP confidential fund documents
Metro Manila, Philippines - A solon said proper agencies have been asked to verify more anomalous names — such as "Chel Diokno" and "Marian Rivera" — found in documents relating to confidential funds disbursed by offices of Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Apparently two individuals coincidentally have the same names with a celebrity and a renowned lawyer who is now to become part of the 20th Congress,” Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said in an interview on Sunday, May 25.
“Which to my mind, medyo nakakatawa dahil mukhang ang pangalan naman ‘Chel’ ay hindi so common (Which is a bit funny in my mind because the name 'Chel' is not common)," he added.
The House assistant majority leader said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) were already tasked to verify if these names are distinct from neophyte Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno and veteran actress Marian Rivera.
“Merong isang Chel Diokno ‘yan na nag-exist na informant, intelligence informant, possible intelligence informant ay totoo na naka-receive na acknowledgement receipts or payment," Adiong said.
[Translation: There is one Chel Diokno that may exist as an informant, intelligence informant, possible intelligence informant, that did really receive acknowledgement receipts or payment.]
He said the verification could help “unburden” and “give justice and fairness” to people with the same names that are “constantly popping up” in the documents.
The House of Representatives previously questioned the existence of several anomalous names in acknowledgement receipts (AR) from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education when it was then led by Duterte.
These names include the viral Mary Grace Piattos, Xiaome Ocho, Jay Kamote, Miggy Mango and other odd names.
PSA earlier said 1,322 out of 1,992 names in the OVP’s ARs do not have birth records. It also showed that 1,456 individuals have no marriage records and 1,593 have no death documents.
PSA previously also verified ARs of DepEd under Duterte’s helm and found that 405 out of 677 names were not in its system.
Duterte has yet to answer questions or explain the existence of the names, snubbing the House probe into her offices’ confidential funds.
