Acosta grilled over scrutiny of OVP confidential funds receipts
MANILA, Philippines – Gina Acosta, who served as the special disbursing officer (SDO) of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for its P125-million confidential funds in 2022, faced intense scrutiny from senator-judges on Monday, August 24, over how she examined the documentary evidence used to liquidate the controversial funds.
On Day 17 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, senator-judges questioned Acosta on the extent of her due diligence in scrutinizing the acknowledgement receipts that Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica, former security head of the OVP, submitted in liquidating the confidential funds.
Acosta repeatedly told the court that she merely disbursed the funds and that it was Lachica who implemented the programs under the funds. She also admitted relying on the documents and Lachica’s assurances about verifying the use of the confidential funds despite having no personal knowledge of the transactions.
“Kasi siya po ang may alam. Siya po ang nag-implement. Siya po ang nag-implement sa mga projects sa confidential (Because he’s the one who knows about it. He was the one who implemented the projects under the confidential funds),” Acosta told the impeachment court.
During the trial, the House prosecution panel said more unusual names appeared in the acknowledgment receipts, including “Pagong,” “Pusa,” and “Ngitngit.” They also flagged Acosta’s seemingly “templated” answers, as well as her reliance on Lachica in verifying the transactions.
Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo asked Acosta why she did not scrutinize the receipts more closely despite the use of such unusual names.
“Kasi siya po ang nag-implement sa mga confidential activities, Your Honor, on the grounds. Siya po ang inatasan na mag-implement. Siya po ang nag….siya ang implementor po, Your Honor,” she said.
(He implemented the confidential activities, Your Honor, on the ground. He was tasked to implement them. He was the implementor, Your Honor.)
Other senator-judges raised similar questions, including Senator-judge Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, who, at one point, cut short his interjection and said: “Ayoko na marinig ang template (I don’t want to hear the template anymore).”
Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros, for her part, asked Acosta whether she thought it would be fair if she ended up taking the fall for the alleged misuse of the funds in her capacity as an accounting officer.
“Alam ko po, Ma‘am, na alam po ni Ma’am Vice President Sara Duterte ang ginagawa niya (I know that Vice President Sara Duterte knows what she is doing),” Acosta said.
The prosecution presented Acosta as a witness for Article I of the articles of impeachment against Duterte, which accuses the Vice President of misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds of the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Edward Fajarda’s health
During the trial, the impeachment court confirmed receipt of a letter from the lawyers of former DepEd SDO Edward Fajarda informing the court that he suffered from a brain stroke and cannot testify in the trial.
Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero instructed the Senate medical bureau to examine Fajarda and validate the medical findings before excusing him from the trial.
“The court notes the medical certificate from counsel and physician of Mr. Fajarda. However, before we excuse him as requested, the court is instructing and directing the head of the Senate’s medical and dental bureau, Dr. Sison, to examine the witness and validate the medical findings with his physicians and submit a report to this court regarding his condition and if he indeed he will be unable to testify this week and when, if at all, he can testify,” Escudero said. – Rappler.com
