THE Senate Impeachment Court on Wednesday summoned two auditors of the Commission on Audit (COA) to testify in the trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
Court presiding officer Senator-judge Francis “Chiz” Escudero ordered the issuance of subpoenas for the three upon request of lead House Prosecutor Gerville Luistro of Batangas.
“The clerk of court is directed to issue the corresponding subpoena at testificandum, subpoena duces tecum to the aforementioned witnesses at the afore-stated addresses of the witnesses mentioned by the lead prosecutor, so ordered,” Escudero said.
To be summoned, based on Luistro’s manifestation in open court, are Roderick C. Wamil former state auditor of COA ICFAO (Intelligence and Confidential Funds Office), with address at COA central office, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City; and Celine May L. Del Campo, present state auditor of COA ICFAO with the same address.
Also to be subpoenaed is Marivic Pareja, director of House of Representatives Legislative Information Resources Management Department, Batasang Pambansa Complex Batasan Hills Quezon City.
“Your honor, these three witnesses are intended to be presented on August 3, August 4, and August 5 trial schedules,” Luistro informed senator-judges.
“In that order?” Escudero inquired, to which Luistro said yes.
Escudero ordered the issuance of subpoenas to the three witnesses at the end of Wednesday’s first day of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence on the alleged misuse of P612.5 million confidential and intelligence funds received by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) when the Vice President was education secretary.
Of the P612.5 million, P500 million was given to the OVP, while the remaining P112.5 million was released to DepEd.
The COA has reported that the DepEd allocation was used up in 11 days.
Of the P112.5 million, the audit commission has disallowed with finality P73 million, which it has required the Vice President and two other responsible officials to return to the government.
The prosecution intends to present the testimonies of Wamil, Del Campo and Pareja to strengthen its evidence on the alleged misuse of confidential and intelligence funds.
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