Today is the 16th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. The Senate impeachment court will continue to hear article 1 on the alleged misuse, questionable liquidation, and systematic misappropriation of confidential funds of Duterte.
Special disbursing officers Gina Acosta and Eduardo Fajarda are expected to appear on court who could shed more light on the possible misuse of Duterte’s confidential and intelligence funds.
2:05 p.m. The Senate impeachment court is adjourned. Trial will resume on Tuesday,August 18, 10 a.m.
2:03 p.m. - Acosta is excused from the witness stand.
1:53 p.m. - Escudero: "Trabaho ba ng security officer gastusin yung dinisburse ninyong confidential fund?"
Acosta: "Hindi po, Your honor, trabaho po 'yan ng disbursing officer, Your honor. Pero 'pag nai-release ko na ang pera sa kaniya, Your honor, pinareceive ko sa kaniya, magbigay po siya sa akin ng utilization report, your honor. 'Yun po ang sign o evidence na na-implement po na niya, your honor, ang various confidential activities or operation sa ground."
1:50 p.m. - Acosta explains that it is her duty to disburse, but the implementation of confidential activities is under the security officer because she does not know how to implement these.
1:49 p.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if, based on the JC 2015-01, the security officer is the proper person to implement confidential activities and disburse confidential funds of a government agency like the OVP.
Acosta says Lachica is the expert in implementing confidential activities because he is the one who has access to national security, based on the JC, and because of the order of the head of their agency.
1:46 p.m. - Lachica is also the one who implemented the OVP's confidential activities in 2023, according to Acosta.
1:41 p.m. - Acosta says she called Lachica after the encashment of the check.
Ligutan asks Acosta why she needed to do this when she is the disbursing officer and she cannot even answer if he is an employee of the OVP.
Acosta: "Ang nag-utos po sa akin na i-release ang pera na 125 M sa security officer na si Colonel Lachica ay si Ma'am Sara Duterte."
1:33 p.m. - Ligutan shows an AI generated image of the four traveling bags used by Acosta for the withdrawal.
Bacquel objects to the use of this, but Escudero allows Ligutan.
Acosta then says the bags she used were different.
She adds that she was the one who transferred the money from the two boxes into the bags.
There were no escorts but according to Acosta, their two drivers were members of the VPSPG.
Photo courtesy: Senate 1:26 p.m. - Acosta says she was accompanied by OVP Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio when she withdrew the P125 million.
1:24 p.m. - Bacquel asks for the "props" to be removed, as they are not necessary for the witness' testimony.
Escudero tells Ligutan to wind up.
1:23 p.m. - Ligutan showed a simulation of the P125 million to Acosta and asked her if this was similar to what she had withdrawn.
"May similarity, your honor," says Acosta.
1:21 p.m. - Acosta says she removed the money from the boxes and transferred it to four traveling bags.
1:19 p.m. - Acosta was the one who encashed the P125 million for 2022.
Ligutan asks her how big the pile of P125 million is.
Acosta says she is not well-versed in measurement, says the money was placed in two boxes and one bundle amounted to P1 million.
1:13 p.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if she was the one who ordered to allegedly rush the encashment of the check.
Acosta says no. Asked who ordered the supposed hasty process, Acosta said it was a regular process.
1:11 p.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if the signing of the voucher, preparing of the check and encashment of the P125 million all on December 20, 2022 was not fast tracking the process.
Acosta insists these went through the OVP's regular process.
1:05 p.m. - Ligutan says the OVP submitted a letter in response to an Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) of COA saying as early as July 2022, the OVP has identified activities that target poverty alleviation, threats to peace and order, and promotion of economic development. He says if this was the case since July, why were the activities not specified in the PFP for the last quarter of 2022?
Acosta was not able to answer.
12:55 p.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if Lachica is an employee of the Office of the Vice President. Ligutan points out that Lachica implements the confidential activities.
Acosta says what she knows is Lachica is the OVP security officer.
12:51 p.m. - Trial resumes. Escudero says trial will only be until 2 p.m. because of the inclement weather. The Senate's session will start at 2:30pm.
12:04 p.m. - The Senate impeachment trial court takes a brief recess. Trial will resume at 12:45 p.m.
12:04 p.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if Lachica's name is included in the PFP, Liquidation Report, Accomplishment Report, and Certification that the plan was used properly.
Acosta says there was none.
11:55 a.m. - Moving on to the PFP of 2023, Ligutan says the Good Governance Program was replaced by Socio-economic Program Delivery.
Acosta confirms this.
11:53 a.m. - Acosta confirms that Duterte approved the PFP for 2022.
11:50 a.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if so much discretion is given to the OVP on how to utilize the confidential funds because the program in the PFP is broad as earlier stated by Acosta.
Acosta says no because she based the accomplishment report on the JC 2015-01.
11:42 a.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if they can include any activity in the OVP's liquidation report so long as this is under the Good Governance Program.
Acosta says she based this on the liquidation report of Lachica.
Asked by Escudero if she has always accepted the liquidation reports of Lachica, Acosta says yes because he is the one on the ground.
Escudero asks if tree planting and libreng sakay is included in the Good Governance Programs. Acosta says yes.
11:34 a.m. - Ligutan shows a slide of the OVP Physical and Financial Plan and says there is no actual number for the physical target.
Acosta says there is none because it is just a plan.
11:31 a.m. - Acosta says the JC does not say there should be specific activities in the PFP but these are indicated in a document submitted.
11:29 a.m. - Ligutan points out that Acosta did not list specific activities under the Good Governance Program.
Acosta says she did not because Joint Circular (JC) 2015-01 does not say to itemize.
Ligutan argues however, that under 6.1 of the JC, "cash advances shall be used for specific legal purpose related to CF."
11:26 a.m. - Acosta says she drafts the PFP with the inputs and guidelines of the security officer.
Ligutan asks her if it is also her job to detail the expenditures.
Acosta says she writes the expenses but Lachica says where the fund will be used because he is the one who implements confidential activities and is the expert on the ground.
11:22 a.m. - Acosta confirms that Lachica gave her the objects of expenditures or the list of what to use the confidential funds on.
11:20 a.m. - Acosta says Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica, the Commanding Officer of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) and security officer of the OVP, gave her inputs and guidelines regarding activities in relation to confidential operations.
11:13 a.m. - Under the Programs, Activities and Projects (PAPs) in the PFP, a section called Good Governance Program can be seen.
Included here are the Libreng Sakay Program and Financial Medical Assistance of the OVP, according to Acosta.
Photo courtesy: Senate11:09 a.m. - Ligutan asks Acosta if aside from preparing the PFP, she also listed the programs, activities and projects for the use of confidential fund.
"Tama po with the tulong of the security officer," says Acosta.
11:06 a.m. - Acosta confirms that the OVP made and submitted a Physical and Financial Plan (PFP) for the last quarter of 2022 for the release of P125 million in confidential fund.
Acosta confirms signing the PFP as the project accountable officer.
10:59 a.m. - Escudero declares Acosta as a hostile witness, but says this only allows Ligutan the "right to ask leading questions, still not allowed to misleading questions."
10:46 a.m. - Bacquel objects to the offer of testimony regarding the confidential funds in Davao City and Acosta's position as SDO of Davao City on the ground of irrelevance. He says the confidential funds in that city are not part of the allegations in the Articles of Impeachment.
Ligutan says these points are relevant.
Escudero allows it for the purpose of establishing pattern and/or behavior, but clarifies that whatever Acosta says with respect to the acts committed by her in relation to the VP while she was Davao City Mayor is not part of the trial and will not add to the charges pending before the court.
10:41 a.m. - According to Ligutan, it can be concluded that Vice President Sara Duterte spent P500 million of confidential funds for personal reasons.
10:39 a.m. - The prosecution is presenting Acosta to also prove the following points:
Photo courtesy: Senate
Photo courtesy: Senate
Photo courtesy: Senate
Photo courtesy: Senate
10:35 a.m. - Ligutan says Acosta is the first hostile witness of the impeachment trial, which means she is not on the side of the prosecution.
She was SDO of the OVP from 2022 to 2023, and also SDO of the confidential funds of then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte from 2019 to 2022.
10:33 a.m. - Trial resumes.
Gina Acosta, former Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), is called to the witness stand.
10:31 a.m. - Ligutan will present the next witness but asks for a short break as they were expecting to present the witness at a later time. A quick recess is declared.
10:27 a.m. - Atty. Lindon Bacquel, counsel for the respondent, confirms their stipulation that the following documents were transmitted to the Archives and that this office is the custodian of such documents.
Photo courtesy: Senate
Photo courtesy: Senate10:18 a.m. - House Prosecutor Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Lordan Suan says the Archives office is the official repository of all records of the HOR, including those transmitted by the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability (CGGPA) in relation to its hearings last September 18, 2024 to December 9, 2024.
10:11 a.m. - Marivic Pareja, Service Director of the Legislative Archives and Museum Management Office of the House of Representatives is called to the witness stand.
10:09 a.m. - House prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua asks the Presiding Officer to recognize Atty. Amando Ligutan, a counsel for the panel of prosecutors, to make a brief manifestation about the comment against him by the defense last week.
Senator-judge and Presiding Officer Francis Escudero says Ligutan will be recognized later. Escudero directs the prosecution to present their witness.
10:06 a.m. - Quorum is declared with 13 senator-judges present.
10:03 a.m. - The Senate impeachment trial court convenes. Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo leads the opening prayer.
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