THE House Committee on Justice has ordered the appearance of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s counsel, Atty. Michael Wesley T. Poa, to testify on matters tied to the use of confidential funds at the Department of Education (DepEd) during his stint as chief of staff.
In a “subpoena ad testificandum,” the panel directed Poa to attend the hearing on April 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.
“You are hereby directed to appear before the Committee on Justice on April 14, 2026, 10:00 A.M., at the 2nd Floor of the People Center, House of Representatives, to testify on matters relevant to your tenure as Chief of Staff of the Secretary of the Department of Education from 2022 to 2023, relating to the use and liquidation of confidential funds by the said Department and to submit the following documents,” the order read.
During the October 2024 hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua, Poa, when questioned by Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, stated that the responsibility for managing the DepEd’s confidential funds rested with Duterte, who resigned as Education secretary in June 2024.
The subpoena also required the submission of “Department of Education’s submissions to the Commission on Audit” to allow lawmakers to review records linked to the spending and liquidation of confidential funds.
The panel said the documents are needed “for the Committee to be apprised of the documents submitted to the Commission on Audit relevant to the use and liquidation of confidential funds by the Department of Education.”
The directive forms part of the proceedings on the verified impeachment complaints against Duterte filed by Reverend Father Joel Saballa and others, endorsed by Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila M. de Lima, as well as a separate complaint by Atty. Nathaniel G. Cabrera endorsed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante Jr. and Deputy Speaker Paolo P. Ortega V of La Union.
A warning was likewise issued: “Failure to comply with this order is subject to penalty under the law.”
The subpoena was issued on March 31, 2026, under the authority of Committee on Justice chairperson Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” R. Luistro of Batangas and Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, with attestation by Secretary General Atty. Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil.
