By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, Aug. 3, rejected the prosecution’s assertion that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) disbursed its ₱125 million confidential fund in just 11 days in December 2022.
Defense lawyer Michael Poa told the Senate impeachment court that they would not stipulate to the prosecution’s proposed admission based on Commission on Audit (COA) records.
“No stipulation on this matter,” Poa said, stressing that the defense disputes the claim of rapid spending.
While acknowledging that the OVP was allocated ₱125 million in confidential funds in 2022, Poa emphasized that the release of the amount had been approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He underscored that the defense’s position was to challenge the prosecution’s timeline of disbursement, which alleged full liquidation within 11 days.
The issue is being tackled under Article I of the impeachment charges, which accuse Duterte of misusing ₱612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the OVP and the Department of Education.
The defense also questioned acknowledgment receipts presented by the prosecution, particularly those dated Dec. 21 to 31, 2022, saying there were issues that would be addressed by future witnesses.
Poa requested time to review the voluminous documents to safeguard Duterte’s rights.
The hearings on Article I continue, with the defense maintaining that the prosecution must prove its claim that the OVP spent ₱125 million in just 11 days.
