Editing Imee Marcos (section)

=== Misuse of tobacco excise tax funds ===
On May 2017, an investigation was held by the House of Representatives due to the alleged misuse of Tobacco Excise Tax funds in Ilocos Norte. On 2018, after being released, the accussed admitted of gaining access to the funds to pay around 70 mini-trucks as well as acknowledging the signatures on the documents, despite initially denying the allegations. Three different transactions were found regarding the misuse of funds via cash advancement: 40 units of mini-cab costing 18.6 million pesos on December 2011, 15.3 million pesos worth of secondhand buses, and 70 units of mini-truck which costs around 32.55 million pesos. Three different signed ordinances of the funds were set aside for Imee's pet project which was allocated for a total of 213 million pesos.

The investigations also stated that the purchased vehicles were overpriced to 21.45 million pesos. The contractor who sold the vehicles in question was none other than Mark Chua, Imee's girlfriend. The vehicles were also lacking registrations from the Land Transportation Office.

Eight people including Imee were investigated and the House Committee on Good Governance recommends the indictment against the people involved. The Ombudsman then initiated its own "fact-finding" to determine if enough cause was found, a formal investigation will be opened. Although there are two previous controversies regarding the Tobacco excise tax funds which involves both Ilocos Sur officials and Joseph Estrada.