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Vice President Sara Duterte’s disbursing officers claim that it was the security personnel, not them, who managed the confidential funds
MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte‘s special disbursing officers (SDO) told a House panel on Monday, November 25, that millions of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), when Duterte led the agency, were managed by their security personnel.
Edward Fajarda and Gina Acosta, SDOs of DepEd and OVP, respectively, told the House committee on good government that their only role were disbursing the funds to security personnel of both agencies — Colonel Dennis Nolasco and Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica, who is the head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG).
According to Joint Circular No. 2015-01 issued by the Department of Budget and Management and the Commission on Audit (COA), it is the responsibility of the SDO, not security personnel, to disburse confidential funds.
Fajarda said he withdrew P37.5 million in confidential funds from the Land Bank of the Philippines and placed the money in two duffel bags and one backpack. He also said that he was disbursing the money to Nolasco on a weekly basis.
“Sa security officer lang po ako nagdi-disburse niyan. Wala na pong iba. Hindi po ‘yan buong P37.5 million na ibibigay sa kanya. Mostly weekly po yan. Weekly po. Nagre-range po sa P4 million to P6 million weekly,” Fajarda said.
(I only disburse it to the security officer. No one else. The entire P37.5 million is given to him in one blow. It’s mostly on a weekly basis. Weekly. It ranges from P4 million to P6 million weekly.)
Fajarda also confirmed that he made three withdrawals of P37.5 million each, totaling P112.5 million, and that he was unaware of how the funds were used because it was not his “expertise.”
“Hindi po kasi ako ang expert diyan. Si Colonel Nolasco po. Siya po kasi ang gumawa niyan,” he added.
(I’m not the expert on that matter. Colonel Nolasco is. He was the one who handled that.)
Fajarda said at the hearing that Lachica assigned a security officer named “Allan” to accompany him during the fund withdrawals.
Acosta, for her part, told the House panel that she did the same, handing over the P125 million in confidential funds to Lachica. She also said that she, along with OVP Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, withdrew the money from LandBank and placed it in “traveling” bags. They were accompanied by two VPSPG drivers.
“May trust po ako kay Lachica dahil authorized po siya ni Ma’am Sara Duterte (I trusted Lachica because he was authorized by Ma’am Sara Duterte),” Acosta said, when asked by Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro why she gave the money to Lachica.
“Wala po ako alam kung paano i-implement ang confidential activities. Si Lachica po ang alam,” she added. (I don’t know how to implement confidential activities. Lachica is the one who knows.)
Unconvinced, Luistro asked: “Bakit po wala kayo alam (How come you don’t know)? You are the special disbursing officer. You prepare the financial plan. You are a signatory in the disbursement. You prepare the accomplishment report.”
Acosta replied, “Wala po ako alam dahil hindi po ‘yan in line sa aking pinag-aralan (I don’t know because it’s not in line with what I studied).”
Luistro said based on Acosta’s testimony, Lachica committed usurpation of authority.
“Kung mangyari po na hindi tama dito sa P125 million, kayo po ang mananagot dahil kayo po ang disbursement officer,” Luistro said. (If something wrong happens with the P125 million, you will be held accountable as you’re the disbursement officer.)
Acosta was not able to finish the probe as she was rushed to the hospital after her blood pressure shot to 150/100. The Vice President left the hearing to accompany Acosta to the Veterans Medical Memorial Center (VMMC). – Rappler.com
