Duterte trial: Acosta quizzed over release of OVP secret fund to Lachica

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s former special disbursing officer (SDO) was quizzed during her impeachment trial on Monday over the release of confidential funds to her then-security officer, Col. Raymund Dante Lachica.

Private prosecutor Amando Virgil Ligutan presented Gina Acosta, now a staff officer of the vice president, as a hostile witness in connection with Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds (CFs).

Ligutan’s direct examination of Acosta centered on the P125 million in CFs released to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in December 2022.

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READ: OVP turnover of secret fund cash to non-SDO broke rules – COA auditor

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According to Acosta, she released the funds directly to Lachica in accordance with a 2015 Joint Circular of the Commission on Audit and Duterte’s order. The joint circular provides guidelines on how agencies should spend their confidential and intelligence funds.

A security officer, as defined in the circular, “refers to a personnel who by reason of his duty or employment has been officially designated as such to have access to security information,” Ligutan pointed out.

“Is it stated there that a security officer may implement confidential activities and also disburse the confidential funds of an agency such as the Office of the Vice President?” he asked.

Defense lawyer Lindon Miguel Bacquel objected to the question, saying it was argumentative, but Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero let the witness answer.

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READ: Leading questions allowed for OVP ex-SDO as hostile witness

“He [Lachica] has the knowledge, Your Honor. He is the expert in carrying out confidential operations and activities because he has access to matters involving national security, Your Honor,” Acosta answered.

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When Escudero asked about the basis of her answer, Acosta said: “It is based on the Joint Circular, Your Honor, as well as the order of the head of the agency, because the agency has a security officer who was ordered to do so, Your Honor.”

Ligutan further pressed Acosta to point to a specific provision that allows a security officer to spend or disburse CFs.

Instead of directly answering the question, Acosta insisted on her own understanding of the circular.

“Based on my understanding of the Joint Circular, I am the special disbursing officer, she said. My role, Your Honor, is to disburse the funds. But the implementation of confidential operational activities related to confidential funds falls within the duties of a security officer because I have no knowledge of, nor am I an expert, Your Honor, in carrying out various confidential activities or operations on the ground,” she explained.

Escudero interjected, pointing out that implementation is different from the release of funds.

Acosta explained that Lachica would have to liquidate the funds after he implemented the various confidential activities of the OVP.

“But he was the one who spent the money on the various recipients of the confidential funds, correct? He was the one who spent the money and handed it to the various people to whom he gave it based on his intelligence and confidential operations. Is that correct?” Escudero asked again.

The witness again answered in the affirmative, prompting Escudero to ask: “Isn’t it the case, under the Joint Circular, that you are supposed to disburse the funds directly to the beneficiary or recipient?”

Acosta said the circular does not state that she herself had to go into the field and personally disburse the confidential funds to the recipients.

Escudero later asked the witness whether Lachica himself was a recipient or merely the person disbursing the funds released to him.

At first, Acosta reiterated that Lachica received the money to implement OVP’s confidential activities.

“So, in your view, Col. Lachica is not a recipient?” Escudero asked.