MANILA, Philippines — The spotlight returns to the Office of the Vice President’s controversial confidential funds as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte enters its 18th day on Tuesday, August 25.
The House prosecution panel is set to present Lemuel Ortonio, an assistant chief of staff at the Office of the Vice President (OVP), as its next witness when the Senate impeachment court resumes proceedings at 10 a.m.
Ortonio’s testimony is expected to further examine how ₱500 million in OVP confidential funds was withdrawn and handled during Duterte’s tenure as vice president.
According to reports, Ortonio supposedly accompanied former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta during the encashment of four ₱125-million checks from LandBank’s Shaw Boulevard branch. The withdrawals were made quarterly from the last quarter of 2022 through the third quarter of 2023.
The testimony comes after Acosta spent Day 17 on the witness stand, providing details about the release and movement of the confidential funds.
The ₱500-million question
The prosecution’s case centers partly on allegations that confidential funds were improperly handled, distributed and liquidated.
During the trial, LandBank personnel previously testified that the OVP withdrew ₱500 million through four separate ₱125-million transactions. One witness said OVP representatives used several gym bags to transport the cash after the withdrawals.
Acosta also testified that she released the money to former Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group chief Col. Raymund Lachica, allegedly following instructions from Duterte. Those claims form part of the prosecution’s effort to establish how the funds moved after being withdrawn.
The allegations remain contested, and testimony presented during an impeachment trial represents evidence from the respective sides rather than a final judicial finding of wrongdoing.
Day 17 raised even more questions
The appearance of Ortonio follows Acosta’s testimony on Day 17, when prosecutors questioned her about acknowledgment receipts and the identities associated with the alleged distribution of confidential funds.
Reports from the Philippine Daily Inquirer said unusual names—including “Pagong” and “Pusa”—appeared in documents presented during the proceedings. Prosecutors also questioned whether Acosta could personally verify that the individuals listed as recipients actually received the money.
BusinessWorld likewise reported that Acosta acknowledged the release of ₱500 million to an officer who was not bonded, an issue prosecutors are examining in relation to government disbursement rules.
These developments have pushed the trial deeper into the mechanics of the confidential-fund transactions rather than simply focusing on the existence of the funds themselves.
Another key witness will not appear Tuesday
One anticipated witness will not take the stand on Day 18.
The presentation of former Department of Education special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, originally expected on August 25, has been moved to September 7 after the Senate impeachment court received a medical certificate stating that he had suffered a stroke.
That change places even greater attention on Ortonio’s testimony as prosecutors continue building their case concerning the confidential funds.
Military witnesses are also waiting in the wings
The confidential-funds testimony is not the only development expected to shape the next phase of the trial.
On Monday, August 24, the Senate impeachment court ordered three Armed Forces of the Philippines officials to testify: one former and two incumbent military officers.
The prosecution has also been weighing whether to call Lachica himself as a witness. GMA News reported that prosecutors had yet to decide whether his testimony was necessary despite Acosta’s testimony regarding the alleged transfer of ₱500 million in confidential funds.
Why Day 18 matters
The significance of Ortonio’s appearance goes beyond another witness taking the stand.
The prosecution is attempting to establish a clearer chain of events—from the release of public funds, to their withdrawal, to the people involved in handling the cash and the subsequent documentation of its use.
Earlier testimony and audit-related evidence have already placed ₱612.5 million in confidential funds under scrutiny: ₱500 million associated with the OVP and another ₱112.5 million associated with the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure as Education secretary.
The defense, meanwhile, continues to challenge the prosecution’s evidence and witnesses.
That makes Day 18 another potentially consequential stage in a trial that has already been affected by weather-related suspensions and the pace of testimony. GMA News previously reported that the proceedings had fallen several days behind schedule because of work suspensions caused by heavy rainfall and flooding.
The bigger question
As Ortonio prepares to testify, the central question is no longer simply how much money was released.
The bigger issue is what the Senate impeachment court will ultimately conclude about who authorized the transactions, who handled the money, how it was distributed, and whether the government’s rules governing confidential funds were followed.
Those answers could become increasingly important as prosecutors move from documenting the transactions to connecting the evidence to the allegations contained in the impeachment case.
And with additional military witnesses still expected and Fajarda’s testimony pushed to September, the most closely watched evidence in the Sara Duterte impeachment trial may still be ahead.
Leave a Reply