The political landscape of the Philippines is often a theater of the dramatic, but the latest developments have pushed the boundaries of public frustration and disbelief. Two separate, yet equally explosive, scandals have seized the nation’s attention, painting a grim picture of governance rooted in distrust, power struggles, and startling financial secrecy. At the local level, the capital city of Manila is witnessing a vicious war between former allies, culminating in accusations of an “illegal power grab.” Simultaneously, at the highest echelon of the executive branch, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is embroiled in a massive “overprice” crisis involving millions in confidential funds—a controversy that has ripped the lid off the opaque world of government spending.

This is not merely the usual noise of political sparring; these events strike at the very heart of the social contract. They speak to the breakdown of loyalty, the reckless disregard for taxpayer money, and the urgent need for true accountability. Before diving into the specifics, understand this: these stories are about what happens when political ambition is prioritized above the people it is meant to serve.

Part I: The Fall of an Alliance—Betrayal and the Battle for Manila City Hall

The political history of Manila often involves high-stakes drama, but few rival the stunning collapse of the partnership between former Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and his successor, current Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan. Their professional relationship was once the bedrock of the city’s governance, a seemingly unbreakable alliance built on shared ambition. Now, it has devolved into a bitter, public war marked by accusations of treachery and sabotage.

The unraveling began subtly, soon after Moreno’s unsuccessful 2022 presidential bid. He had personally endorsed Lacuna, his former Vice Mayor, signaling a peaceful handover of power that allowed her to make history as Manila’s first female Mayor. Yet, behind the scenes, the silence masked deep-seated resentments. The political détente exploded when Moreno recently announced his intention to return to the mayoral race in 2025, setting the stage for a direct, confrontational rivalry with the woman he once championed.

Lacuna’s response was immediate and emotionally charged. She publicly spoke of feeling “betrayed,” arguing that Moreno had previously promised to exit local politics and let her lead. In her view, his return was a stab in the back, prioritizing his own political necessity over their agreement and the stability of the city. For the average Filipino, this was a clear example of how quickly political loyalty dissolves when power is on the line, shifting the focus from genuine public service back to personal vendettas.

The “Illegal Power Grab” Accusation

The war of words soon escalated into legal action, moving the conflict from the court of public opinion to the literal courts. The most searing accusation—the claim of an “illegal power grab”—came from the Lacuna camp, specifically from Leilani Lacuna, sister of the incumbent Mayor and former President of the Liga ng mga Barangay Manila.

Leilani Lacuna filed a formal complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman, citing charges of graft and grave misconduct against Moreno and several of his former officials. While the detailed specifics of the alleged power grab are complex, the public narrative is clear: the accusation suggests that Moreno did not truly let go of the reins of power. It implies that through his network of retained loyalists and administrative decisions made during the transition, he sought to undermine and destabilize the new Lacuna administration. This is seen by the current city hall as a deliberate attempt to handicap their governance, making the city ungovernable and paving the way for Moreno’s triumphant return.

The emotional impact of this claim is immense. It transforms the political rivalry from a fair fight into a narrative of subversion. It suggests that the city’s governance—the daily operations that affect millions of Manileños—is being held hostage by a former official determined to reclaim his seat by any means necessary.

Moreno, in turn, has retaliated by publicly pointing to alleged financial liabilities left by the current administration, specifically mentioning a staggering PHP 10.2 billion in unpaid obligations. This figure is strategically used to delegitimize Lacuna’s tenure, suggesting incompetence and mismanagement. Whether these debts are genuine or merely political ammunition, the fact remains that the citizens are left holding the bag while their leaders are consumed by their personal feud.

The Manila City Hall crisis is, fundamentally, a story of broken trust. When allies turn into enemies, the collateral damage is the public faith in the political process. It shows that in Philippine politics, the desire for power can easily override personal pledges and the duty to ensure a smooth, functional government. This local drama sets a disheartening tone for accountability, which is only amplified by the magnitude of the next controversy.

Part II: The PHP 125 Million Question—The OVP Secret Funds Scandal

If the Manila feud speaks to the failures of local leadership, the controversy engulfing the Office of the Vice President (OVP) speaks to a systemic failure of national accountability. This scandal revolves around the staggering allocation and highly questionable expenditure of Confidential Funds (CF), leading to the public cry of “OVP O-VER-PRICE!”—a phrase that has become shorthand for perceived high-level corruption and secrecy.

At the heart of the matter is Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio and the utilization of funds intended for sensitive, non-disclosure-required government operations. The main issue erupted when it was revealed that the OVP, a primarily civilian and administrative office with no traditional mandate for intelligence or security operations, was allocated a whopping PHP 125 million in confidential funds late in 2022.

The alarm bells rang immediately. Not only was the amount unprecedented for the OVP, but the manner of its acquisition raised serious constitutional questions. This fund was sourced from the Contingent Fund and transferred after the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2022 had been finalized and passed. Critics and opposition lawmakers argued that this allocation was essentially an unlawful augmentation of the OVP’s budget, sidestepping the rigorous oversight of the legislative branch. For the public, it felt like money was being secretly siphoned off without explanation or accountability.

The Cost of Secrecy: Misuse and the Audit Fallout

The “overprice” dimension of the scandal is less about literal inflated costs and more about the perceived excessive and unjustified nature of the spending, shielded completely by the veil of secrecy. Taxpayers are furious that their money was allocated with zero transparency.

The scrutiny intensified when official bodies began their review. The Commission on Audit (COA), the government’s watchdog, eventually issued a Notice of Disallowance (ND) against a significant portion of the OVP’s 2022 confidential expenditures. An ND is a serious finding, essentially declaring that the funds were spent illegally or improperly.

The public outcry peaked with revelations suggesting outright misuse. Reports surfaced that parts of the money, ostensibly meant for sensitive intelligence work, were instead used for highly ordinary, non-secretarial items like desks, chairs, desktop computers, and printers. The justification offered by the OVP was simply that these items supported the “confidential operations”—a defense many found thin, if not insulting. To the Filipino citizen, this felt like a direct mockery: using taxpayer money intended for critical security matters to buy basic office furniture, all while hiding behind the cloak of confidentiality.

The Most Damning Allegation: Systemic Fraud

Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the scandal came to light during subsequent congressional investigations. When legislators pressed for documentation on how the confidential funds for the following year (2023) were used—a fund which also saw an enormous request—they uncovered deeply unsettling evidence suggesting systemic fraud.

It was alleged that lists of supposed recipients of the confidential funds—individuals meant to be involved in the OVP’s secret operations—contained thousands of entries that were deeply suspicious. Specifically, reports indicated that over 1,300 individuals listed as recipients had no corresponding birth records with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This revelation led opposition figures to conclude that these were not real people but “ghost recipients,” a tactic commonly associated with large-scale embezzlement.

The implication is staggering: funds meant to safeguard national security or public safety may have instead been diverted through fake identities in a sophisticated scheme to enrich individuals or political networks. This kind of allegation goes beyond simple administrative error and touches upon the foundational integrity of the executive office.

Vice President Duterte has repeatedly defended the spending, stating that the funds were used “appropriately” and strictly “following government guidelines,” always refusing to divulge specific details due to the nature of the confidential operations. Her staunch defense, however, has only fueled public suspicion, widening the chasm between the government and the governed.

The True Price of Power

The Manila power struggle and the OVP financial secrecy scandal, while distinct, share a common thread: they expose the precarious state of accountability in Philippine governance. The feud in the capital demonstrates that the quest for political office can destroy trust and paralyze city services. The crisis at the OVP shows that when executive power is given a blank check—even under the guise of national security—it risks being abused in ways that are deeply corrosive to the public purse.

These dual crises serve as a wake-up call. The emotional resonance of these events—the feeling of betrayal, the anger over misused funds, and the fear of unchecked power—are driving a national conversation. Filipinos are demanding that their leaders move beyond self-serving rivalries and opaque spending habits. The ultimate resolution of the “illegal power grab” and the fate of the OVP’s secret funds will determine not just the careers of a few politicians, but the very trajectory of public trust in the republic.