MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is entering a potentially decisive phase, with the House prosecution panel saying only five subpoenaed witnesses remain in its presentation concerning the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds.
Lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro said the prosecution hopes to complete its presentation on the first impeachment article by September 9, although the lineup could still be shortened if prosecutors determine that additional testimony is no longer necessary.
The five remaining witnesses identified by the prosecution are former Department of Education (DepEd) special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, his wife and DepEd Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda, Philippine Statistics Authority Assistant National Statistician Marissa Grande, Police Maj. Jovelyn Magay, and Commission on Audit employee Bresilio Sabaldan.
Health issue clouds key witness appearance
One of the biggest uncertainties is whether Edward Fajarda will be able to testify.
Fajarda previously served as DepEd’s special disbursing officer for the confidential funds. However, he suffered a stroke, and his condition was independently confirmed by the Senate Medical and Dental Bureau.
Luistro said prosecutors are exploring whether they can reach stipulations with Duterte’s defense that would allow them to dispense with Fajarda’s live testimony rather than subject him to the demands of appearing in court.
The prosecution’s position comes as it attempts to complete its evidentiary presentation without unnecessarily prolonging the trial.
PSA witness could focus on suspicious names in fund documents
Another closely watched witness is PSA official Marissa Grande, whose testimony is expected to address the identities appearing in acknowledgment receipts used to support the liquidation of confidential funds.
The receipts have drawn significant attention because some of the names listed as supposed recipients were unusual, including names resembling food products, animals, phrases and brands.
Among those previously cited are Mary Grace Piattos, Miggy Mango, Nova Santos, Andy Lim, Antonio Pagong, Xuniso Belat and Shane Ngitngit.
According to Inquirer reporting, the PSA previously found that 1,322 supposed recipients of the ₱500-million OVP confidential funds had no birth records. A similar check involving DepEd’s ₱112.5-million confidential funds found another 405 supposed recipients without birth records.
These findings are part of the prosecution’s effort to scrutinize the identities behind the acknowledgment receipts and the documentation used to account for the confidential funds.
The ₱612.5-million figure at the center of Article I
The first impeachment article accuses Duterte of misuse, misappropriation and irregular liquidation involving a combined ₱612.5 million in confidential funds.
That figure consists of:
- ₱500 million allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- ₱112.5 million allocated to DepEd during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary, covering the first three quarters of 2023.
The prosecution has been examining how the funds were released, transferred, spent and subsequently liquidated.
Three major witnesses already dropped
The prosecution has also recently streamlined its case by dropping three expected witnesses: former Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group chief Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, former security official Col. Dennis Nolasco, and former Duterte aide Ramil Madriaga.
Prosecutors said their testimony was no longer necessary because evidence already presented had sufficiently addressed the issues they intended to establish.
Lachica had been identified by former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta as the recipient of four ₱125-million confidential-fund releases. Nolasco was identified in testimony involving the handling of DepEd’s confidential funds, while Madriaga had previously made allegations about the movement of confidential funds during a House investigation.
The decision reflects the prosecution’s broader strategy of shortening its presentation when additional witnesses are no longer considered essential.
Prosecutors say they are completing the “puzzle”
Philstar previously reported that prosecutors were evaluating whether every remaining witness was still necessary to complete what they described as the evidentiary “puzzle.”
The prosecution was initially given 31 trial days for the first article of impeachment, but prosecutors indicated they could abandon additional witnesses if their testimony would merely duplicate evidence already on record.
The same strategy was previously used for the fourth impeachment article involving alleged grave threats, when prosecutors withdrew witnesses after concluding that the evidence already presented was sufficient.
Military testimony also raised questions
Recent proceedings have also focused on DepEd’s use of military certifications in accounting for confidential spending.
Two Army officers, Col. Manaros Boransing II and Col. Magtangol Panopio, testified that their units did not receive confidential funds from DepEd, the Office of the Vice President or the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group for youth leadership summits and information campaigns in 2023.
Their certifications had nevertheless been used by DepEd in responding to Commission on Audit findings concerning its confidential-fund spending.
Philstar reported that the issue involved ₱15.54 million in confidential funds connected to rewards payments for informants during the first two quarters of 2023.
The testimony has therefore become another piece of the prosecution’s effort to establish whether confidential-fund expenditures were properly connected to legitimate intelligence or security activities.
What happens after the five witnesses?
The prosecution’s immediate objective is to complete its presentation on the confidential-fund allegations.
Once that phase is finished, prosecutors will have to determine how to proceed with the remaining impeachment articles. They are also considering whether to pursue the third article concerning alleged bribery or potentially streamline the case further to avoid unnecessary delays.
For now, the Senate impeachment court remains focused on the evidence surrounding the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
With only five subpoenaed witnesses remaining—and some potentially subject to stipulations or withdrawal—the coming proceedings could determine whether the prosecution is ready to rest its case on one of the most consequential allegations against the Vice President.
The final question now is whether the remaining testimony will provide the missing pieces prosecutors say they need—or whether the evidence already presented will be enough for the senator-judges to weigh the allegations against Duterte.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
Leave a Reply