CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Testimonies from two Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers revealed they felt deceived when the Department of Education (DepEd) used their certifications as part of liquidation documents submitted to the Commission on Audit (COA) for confidential funds.
On the 20th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment hearing, a clear pattern emerged showing that DepEd merely rushed its paperwork to justify fund usage flagged by COA. Tingog Partylist Representative Jude Acidre stressed that ₱15 million is a significant amount of public money and cannot be justified with hastily prepared documents.
Witnesses, including former OVP SDO Gina Acosta and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, reinforced longstanding claims of misuse and misappropriation of government funds. Acidre noted that the use of certifications inconsistent with their original intent has fueled public doubts over the credibility of the liquidation papers submitted to COA.
The prosecution challenged the defense to present solid receipts and evidence in line with the Joint Memorandum Circular to prove that the funds were spent properly.
