By el Amigo
MANILA, Philippines — A Commission on Audit (COA) official testified before the Senate impeachment court on Monday that portions of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds were used to purchase office furniture, computer equipment, medicines, and other supplies, with many transactions allegedly supported only by acknowledgment receipts instead of official sales documents.
State auditor Roderick Wamil, presented as a prosecution witness, told senator-judges that the documents were among those submitted by the OVP in response to a COA Audit Observation Memorandum covering the ₱125 million confidential funds released to the office in December 2022.
Wamil’s testimony forms part of the prosecution’s effort to establish allegations of irregularities in the utilization of confidential funds by Vice President Sara Duterte during her tenure as head of the OVP and while concurrently serving as Secretary of the Department of Education.
According to Wamil, the documents submitted by the OVP indicated that confidential funds were spent on cash rewards, medicines, office supplies, tables, chairs, desktop computers, printers, and other equipment. However, he said many of these transactions were supported only by acknowledgment receipts instead of official receipts or sales invoices.
The auditor also testified that records relating to reward payments to informants did not include supporting documents demonstrating the success of any intelligence-gathering or surveillance operations allegedly funded by the confidential expenses.
For purchases involving office furniture and computer equipment, Wamil said the submitted documents likewise failed to explain how such items were directly connected to confidential or intelligence operations.
During questioning by private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan, Wamil maintained that purchases from ordinary commercial establishments, such as drugstores, groceries, or hardware stores, should normally be backed by official receipts or sales invoices.
He explained that while the purpose of confidential fund expenditures may be protected from public disclosure, the identity of legitimate suppliers and the existence of proper accounting documents are separate matters.
Defense counsel Michael Poa objected to portions of the witness’ testimony, arguing that Wamil was expressing opinions beyond the scope of the governing COA rules on confidential and intelligence funds.
Kapunan countered that the prosecution had already cited provisions of the applicable joint circular governing allowable and prohibited uses of confidential funds.
After hearing both sides, Senate impeachment court presiding officer Senate President Francis Escudero ruled that Wamil was competent to testify on how he evaluated the documentary evidence submitted by the OVP in the course of the audit.
The ₱125 million under scrutiny represents only a portion of the ₱500 million confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President. Separate confidential funds amounting to ₱112.5 million were also released to the Department of Education while Duterte served as its secretary.
The Senate impeachment trial continues as prosecutors and defense lawyers present evidence and witnesses concerning the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
elamigo/xf
