Lapid to Davao City accountant at Duterte trial: 'Are you being used?'

MANILA, Philippines — Expressing frustration over a resource person's repeated inability to answer questions, Sen. Lito Lapid told Davao City Accountant Vingelin Bajan that her apparent lack of knowledge made it seem as though she was merely being used by others.

Lapid's interjection on Tuesday, November 10, came after several rounds of questioning in which Bajan repeatedly said she could not recall key details about her past partnership in an accounting firm that audited several companies linked to Vice President Sara Duterte.

"'Yung mga nakikinig na kababayan natin dito, 'pag hindi kayo nakakasagot, naiinis sila. Kami rin," Lapid said.

(The people listening to this, our fellow citizens, get annoyed when you cannot answer. We do too.)

"Ang iniisip namin, pumunta ka rito, nagagamit ka lang dahil kayo ang city accountant ng Davao na parang wala kayong alam. Sana magsalita kayo ng totoo," he added.

(We are thinking that you came here only to be used because you are the Davao City accountant, yet it seems you know nothing. I hope you tell the truth.)

Bajan, however, insisted that she was not being used.

Earlier, Bajan also drew the ire of senator-judges after repeatedly saying she could not recall details of several transactions and information about her former accounting firm.

She acknowledged that she had been a partner in the accounting firm since its registration in 2003, when she was also working for the Davao City government under a job-order arrangement.