THE House prosecution panel is still aiming to complete the presentation of its evidence on Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds by September 9, although its final list of witnesses has yet to be finalized.
House prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said that the date announced by lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro remained a working target rather than a firm deadline.
“Iyong pong September 9 na binabanggit naman po remains a target,” Ridon said at a House press conference on Thursday. He described September 9 as an optimistic completion date.
The prosecution is presenting evidence under Article I, which covers ₱500 million in confidential funds spent by the Office of the Vice President from December 2022 to the third quarter of 2023 and ₱112.5 million released to the Department of Education in 2023 while Duterte headed the agency.
Ridon said the length of cross-examinations and questions from senator-judges could still affect the timetable.
“We cannot control several things—iyong cross and also iyong mga questions po ng senator-judges,” he said. “But we will try to wrap up by that date,” he added.
Asked whether the prosecution still intended to present Ramil Madriaga and the purported confidential fund recipient identified in documents as Mary Grace Piatos, Ridon said the panel would disclose its final lineup as it approached the close of Article I.
“Antabayanan na lang po natin kung ano iyong talagang final na listahan nung mga isasalang sa paglilitis,” he said.
Ridon said the prosecution’s immediate priority was establishing the connection between the handling of the confidential funds and Duterte’s instructions or official actions.
“Iyong aspect kasi nung really proving the tie to the Vice President po iyong mahalaga,” he said.
He cited the testimony of former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta, OVP Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio and former DepEd chief of staff Atty. Michael Wesley Poa.
Acosta testified that Duterte instructed her to turn over OVP confidential-fund cash to security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica. Ortonio and Poa testified about their respective official roles and the limits of their knowledge of the transactions.
Ridon said those accounts had already supplied the evidence the prosecution considered central to linking the challenged transactions to Duterte.
“Nabanggit na po iyon doon sa testimony ni Ms. Acosta, testimony ni Mr. Ortonio, testimony ni Atty. Poa,” he said.
The panel will decide whether additional witnesses are necessary after the remaining scheduled testimony and questioning, Ridon said.
“Iyong lahat po ng iba pa ay pandagdag na lang na mga ebidensya doon po sa kabuuan ng pagpapatunay ng artikulong ito,” the solon added. “Tapos na po iyong bahagi na iyon.”
metrosundaily
