Member of OVP Staff Falls Ill during Hearing on Confidential Funds Use
OVP STAFF – A member of the staff of the Office of the Vice President fell ill during a House hearing and was rushed to the hospital.
The use of the Office of the Vice President’s Confidential Funds remain an issue that is being heard in the House of Representatives. The House good government and public accountability panel leads the inquiry.
However, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has repeatedly skipped the House hearings regarding the Confidential Funds use of the OVP. She appeared at the very first inquiry but skipped the rest of the hearings until recently when she appeared and took an oath.
Some OVP staff members also appeared at the hearing set by the House panel over the OVP Confidential Funds use. OVP Special Disbursement Officer Gina Acosta is one of those who appeared at the hearing.
However, Special Disbursement Officer Gina Acosta fell ill during the House hearing. The OVP staff member had to be rushed to the hospital. Based on a report on GMA News, she was checked by House Medical Director Luis Bautista who declared the case an emergency.
“Ms. Gina [Acosta] is currently unresponsive for now so House Medical Director Luis Bautista declared it an emergency,” said Atty. Leandro Resurreccion IV.
Acosta was seen being wheeled out of the Batasang Pambansa and she was accompanied by Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on the report, the OVP staff member was brought to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).
According to House Deputy Speaker Jay-jay Suarez, the blood pressure of the OVP staff member shot up to 150/100. Acosta is the second staff of Duterte’s office to have been brought to the hospital from the House of Representatives’ building.
OVP Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez was also rushed to the hospital during her detention at the House of Representatives. She was cited for contempt for an alleged “interference”.