Highlights: Day 18 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Aug. 25

MANILA, Philippines – The 18th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial centered on the testimony of Office of the Vice President Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, who was declared a hostile witness by the impeachment court, making him the second prosecution witness to receive that designation. 

The ruling allowed private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia, a litigation lawyer and name partner at Co Nazario Velasco-Catera and Divinagracia Law Offices, to ask Ortonio leading questions during his direct examination on the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds. 

READ: Highlights: Day 17 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Aug. 24, 2026

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Ortonio confirmed during his testimony that he paid P150,000 out of his own pocket to cover excess confidential fund expenses, following an urgent request relayed through former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta that originated from Col. Raymund Dante Lachica. 

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The impeachment court issued a reminder to the House prosecution panel not to use inflammatory terms such as “scam” and “mastermind” during examinations.

The warning came after Divinagracia used those terms while examining Ortonio, who had confirmed that the OVP submitted four separate explanations to the Commission on Audit to justify its use of confidential funds.

Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said after Day 18 that she was “more inclined” not to call Col. Lachica to the witness stand, though the prosecution had yet to make a final decision. 

Lachica, the former head of the VP’s security detail, had earlier stated publicly that he never refused to testify and is “prepared to tell the truth” should he be summoned. The Armed Forces of the Philippines separately announced it had terminated its own inquiry into Lachica to avoid duplicating the Office of the Ombudsman’s investigation. 

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On the parallel legal front, the Department of Justice said Sara Duterte’s criminal case for alleged grave threats can proceed independently of the impeachment trial, stressing that the two processes follow separate legal tracks. 

Separately, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon called on the Ombudsman to investigate whether Duterte and OVP officials committed malversation in their handling of confidential funds. /dp

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Sources

1. Luistro: ‘More inclined’ not to call Lachica as witness in Duterte trial
2. Ex-VP security chief Lachica says he’s ready to face impeachment court
3. Ortonio confirms paying P150,000 excess CF expenses out of pocket
4. Impeachment court warns prosecutors against using inflammatory terms
5. DOJ: Impeachment no bar to Sara Duterte’s grave threats trial
6. Ridon to Ombudsman: Probe if Duterte, OVP execs committed malversation
7. AFP ends Lachica inquiry to avoid ‘duplication’ with Ombudsman probe
8. Who is lawyer Mae Divinagracia?
9. Impeachment court declares OVP aide Ortonio a hostile witness

Editor’s note: This update was generated with the aid of artificial intelligence based on Inquirer.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Cebu Daily News articles and reviewed by a human editor.