THE prosecution will begin its confidential funds case with documentary custodians and bank officials before moving to witnesses expected to testify about the alleged recipients and actual handling of the money.
House prosecutor Joel Chua of Manila confirmed that the Senate impeachment court had already been informed of the first three witnesses who would be called under Article I.
“And as to the identity of the first witnesses that we will be presenting in connection with the confidential funds, we’ve already informed the court about this,” Chua made the statement during an interview on Korina Sanchez’s Memo on the Bilyonaryo News Channel on Monday.
The sequence will start with the official responsible for House legislative archives, followed by two branch managers from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
“So ang nasabi ho natin diyan, ang una ang House of Representatives Legislative Archive and Museum Management Director tapos ho niyan, dalawang bank managers ho ng Land Bank of the Philippines,” he disclosed.
The documentary phase is expected to identify records generated during the congressional investigation and trace bank transactions connected with the release and liquidation of confidential funds.
Article I alleges that Duterte misused and irregularly liquidated P612.5 million in confidential funds released to the OVP and DepEd, including P125 million received by the OVP in December 2022.
“Well sa archive, sa bangko, marami na nag-aabang kay Remil Madriaga, so isa rin ‘yan sa mga nakapila na testigo natin,” Chua noted.
The prosecution plans to establish the documentary chain before calling Madriaga and other witnesses whose testimony may concern the release, movement and reported use of the funds.
“So siguro antay na lang natin dahil kagaya nung nangyari dito sa Article 4 sa Threat, marami rin naman ang mga nakalinya,” he explained.
Chua estimated that 13 to 15 witnesses remain in the planned lineup, although the panel may stop calling additional witnesses once the relevant facts have been sufficiently established.
“I think mga nasa 13-15. But you have to understand, it does not follow na lahat naman yung ipapresenta mo,” he clarified.
“Siyempre, once na na-achieve na ninyo ‘yung talagang purpose, magka-cut ka na,” Chua added. (
metrosundaily
