THE House prosecution enters what it hopes will be the final three days of presenting evidence on Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds this coming week, with five remaining witnesses subpoenaed as it targets a Sept. 9 finish for Article I of her impeachment trial.
The Senate Impeachment Court resumes proceedings from Sept. 7 to 9, with former Department of Education (DepEd) special disbursing officer (SDO) Edward Fajarda, his wife DepEd Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande, Police Maj. Jovelyn Magay and Commission on Audit (COA) employee Bresilio Sabaldan among the remaining witnesses.
“So just a good news for our senator-judges: we plan to finish the presentation of evidence for confidential fund until September 9, this coming Wednesday,” House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro told the impeachment court last Wednesday.
Article I involves the alleged misuse, misappropriation and irregular liquidation of P612.5 million in confidential funds — P500 million under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million under DepEd during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary.
Attention this week is expected to focus partly on the DepEd funds, which were released in three P37.5-million tranches in 2023.
Edward Fajarda served as DepEd’s SDO for the funds. His appearance, however, remains uncertain after he suffered a stroke, a condition independently confirmed by the Senate Medical and Dental Bureau.
Luistro said the prosecution is exploring stipulations with Duterte’s defense that could allow it to dispense with Fajarda’s testimony rather than subject him to the rigors of taking the witness stand.
“It is our intention not to aggravate his condition. As a matter of fact, it is likewise our intention to excuse him, if possible, from the rigors of being presented in the witness stand,” she said.
Former DepEd undersecretary, chief of staff and spokesperson Michael Wesley Poa testified Wednesday that he learned during a 2024 House inquiry that Fajarda had said he turned over all three P37.5-million confidential fund releases to then-DepEd security officer Col. Dennis Nolasco.
Grande’s testimony, meanwhile, is expected to involve PSA records as the prosecution scrutinizes identities appearing in acknowledgment receipts submitted to support confidential fund liquidations.
The prosecution has already presented COA auditors, OVP and DepEd officials and military officers to trace how the funds were handled and liquidated.
Among them, former OVP SDO Gina Acosta testified that she turned over four P125-million confidential fund tranches to then-security chief Col. Raymund Dante Lachica upon Duterte’s instruction.
Army officers also testified that their units received no DepEd confidential funds for Youth Leadership Summits and information campaigns cited in military certifications later used by DepEd in responding to COA findings.
The prosecution has since dropped Lachica, Nolasco and Ramil Madriaga as witnesses after concluding that evidence already presented was sufficient for the points it sought to establish.
The Sept. 9 target applies only to Article I. The prosecution has already rested on Article IV involving alleged threats and has yet to present evidence on Article II involving alleged unexplained wealth.
Prosecutors are also considering whether to proceed with Article III involving alleged bribery as part of efforts to speed up the trial, but no final decision has been made.
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