August 11, 2026

Cylene May L. Del Campo, a Commission on Audit state auditor and prosecution witness, described her post-audit work at the Commission on Audit's Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office, including liquidation documents, audit observation memoranda, notices of suspension or disallowance, agency responses, and evaluation of those responses.

Cylene May L. Del Campo testified that the earlier OVP notice of disallowance totaled PHP 73.287 million, including PHP 69.787 million in reward payments and PHP 3.5 million for listed goods.

Del Campo testified that the March 31, 2026 OVP notice of disallowance totaled PHP 375 million for the first three quarters of 2023, including PHP 261.3 million in disallowances for reward payments and listed expenses.

In describing the later Office of the Vice President audit, Cylene May L. Del Campo testified that PHP 62 million in reward payments lacked documents evidencing success, PHP 199 million in supplies or medical and food aid could not be ascertained from the acknowledgement receipts, and a PHP 300,000 purchase-of-information payment was made before release of the cash advance.

For the Department of Education's first and second quarters, Del Campo testified that the records were compliant during her evaluation and that COA issued credit notices.

Del Campo described the Department of Education's third-quarter audit observation memorandum as identifying missing payment-support documents and PHP 6.371 million in reward payments unsupported by documents evidencing success.

The prosecution's tabulation placed Department of Education special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda's August 9, 2023 payments at several locations; Del Campo identified Fajarda as the SDO and said the submissions contained no separate authorization for another disbursing officer.

The Chair asked whether the OVP had an opportunity to respond to Gina Acosta's House testimony; Del Campo said she had not heard the OVP or Vice President's side.

Del Campo said the OVP cash advance attributed to Gina Acosta and the account attributed to Edward Fajarda involved transfers of funds to other people; she said a transfer from one accountable officer to another violated item 6.1.1 of Joint Circular 2015-01.

The hearing opened with appearances by Rep. Joel R. Chua for the prosecution and Atty. Kristine R. Ferrer for respondent Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte. Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the presiding officer, then recognized Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan, counsel for the prosecution, to continue examining the witness.

The parties argued over whether to compare thousands of acknowledgement receipts in advance. The prosecution described 4,492 documents across the OVP and DepEd; the defense said authenticity and the witness's competence would be for the court to assess after formal offer and testimony.

Cylene May L. Del Campo testified about Commission on Audit post-audit work, Joint Circular 2015-01, Office of the Vice President liquidation documents, Department of Education audit observations, and the status of the Department of Education's third-quarter response.

The chair deferred the defense cross-examination to August 12, stated that counsel could use the respondent's copies of the acknowledgement receipts, and later adjourned the trial until August 12 at 10 a.m.

The Chair allowed Del Campo to proceed with her tabulation and summary under Rule 130 while preserving respondent counsel's opportunity to comment and cross-examine after a formal offer.

The court allowed a later tabulation and summary, required copies for senator-judges, and directed that the materials be marked at the appropriate time.

The Chair required a responsive answer to the competency question, directed marking and copies of the materials, and reminded counsel to put questions to the witness rather than supply answers.

The chair declined to have Del Campo answer a question requiring a factual conclusion, directed counsel to proceed, and said the issue remained to be seen and proven in the coming days.

The chair stated that respondent counsel could cross-examine Del Campo using the respondent's copies of the acknowledgement receipts, without prejudice to that cross-examination.

The trial was adjourned until August 12 at 10 a.m.

Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri proposed moving Senate sessions to 10 a.m. and impeachment-court proceedings to 3 p.m. so evidence and cross-examination could continue into the evening without interruption, while preserving both legislative work and public access. He sought to place the proposal as a motion and then asked for a decision after caucus and the minority leader's participation, stressing that parties and senator-judges needed advance notice rather than a surprise schedule change. The Chair treated it as a possible adjustment, not an immediate order: any shift would require notice to the parties and would be decided after caucus.

Sen. Pia S. Cayetano asked that the proposed schedule change return to caucus, saying it had already been discussed there and the minority floor leader was absent. The Chair said no change was imminent or planned for that week.

Sen. Camille Villar urged the Court to give the proposed schedule change the same caucus consideration as an earlier proposal to shift the Senate's start time, rather than deciding it immediately. The Chair said the matter was not urgent and would be decided after caucus.

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan said the prosecution had to present Del Campo and the tabulations because the defense declined to stipulate to the 4,492 acknowledgement receipts; she said objections could be made when the evidence was formally offered.

When Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan asked which requirement the Office of the Vice President had not followed, Cylene May L. Del Campo testified that the submitted list offered as proof of successful information-gathering did not show the particular accomplishment.

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan asked Del Campo about statements that funds were handed to other people; Del Campo said a transfer between accountable officers violated item 6.1.1 of Joint Circular 2015-01.

Atty. Kristine R. Ferrer said exhibit authenticity would be decided after the prosecution formal offer and defense comment, while the defense accepted a Rule 130 tabulation presentation subject to cross-examination.

The defense objected that Cylene May L. Del Campo was not competent to answer what the listed addresses showed or whether the special disbursing officer could have made payments at all locations in one day, calling the latter a conclusion of fact. The Chair said the witness was not competent to answer, directed that the document speak for itself, and said the issue remained to be seen and proven.

Respondent counsel disputed that the parties had agreed to dispense with identification of the acknowledgement receipts; the Chair allowed the counter-manifestation and preserved cross-examination for the next day.

After saying the witness was not competent to answer counsel's question and that the document should speak for itself, the Chair said: "So that remains to be seen and proven in the coming days."

After the Chair allowed a counter-manifestation, Atty. Kristine R. Ferrer stated: "no such admission, Your Honor, and there was no dispensing of identification of the ARs."

The defense had not yet cross-examined Cylene May L. Del Campo when the hearing ended. When the Chair asked whether respondent counsel could conduct the cross-examination the next day, Atty. Kristine R. Ferrer said she could; the Chair said the cross-examination could use respondent counsel's copies of the acknowledgement receipts.

The parties gave conflicting accounts of any agreement to dispense with identification of the acknowledgement receipts, and the issue remained for cross-examination.

The witness said the Department of Education's third-quarter response remained under evaluation and review, with further internal review still required.

Cylene May L. Del Campo said that, under the Rules and Regulations on Settlement of Accounts, a settled account with a credit notice may be reopened within three years if the transaction is tainted by fraud or collusion or new material evidence is discovered.

The transcript calls the person in the account of Gina Acosta's statement "Colonel Raymond Dante Pilachica," later renders the Office of the Vice President transfer recipient as "Colonel La Chica," and separately refers to Colonel Nolasco in the account concerning Fajarda. The supplied evidence does not establish whether the first two renderings name the same person or give Colonel Nolasco's first name.