August 24, 2026

Judge at Arms is directed to make a

proclamation.

All persons are commanded to keep silent under pain of penalty while the impeachment court is in session for the trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte.

The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte is hereby called to order. We shall be led in prayer by Senator Judge Joel Villanueva.

Diyos na nagsabing kung may dalawa o tatlo na nagkakatipon sa Kanyang pangalan, Siya ay nasa kanilang kalagitnaan. Kami po ay naniniklohod at lumalapit sa iyong trono ng biyaya, hinihingi ng kapatawaran ang anumang kasalanan sa isip, sa salita o sa gawa, kasalanang sinasadya man o hindi. Patawarin niyo po kami, linisin niyo po kami ng iyong banal na dugo na nabuho sa krus ng kalbaryo. at hayaan mong makalapit po kami ngayong araw na ito sa iyong kabanalan.

Ipaalala mo po sa amin ang sinabi mo sa aklat ng Salmo, Kapitulo 89, Talatang 14. Ang katuwiran at katarungan ang saligan ng iyong luklukan. Ang tapat na pag-ibig at katotohanan ay nauuna sa iyong harapan. Panginoong Diyos, ngayon pong ikalabing pitong araw ng impeachment trial. Gabayan niyo po at tulungan ang bawat isa sa amin lalo na ang aming buong Senado na tumatayo bilang jurado. Tulungan mo po kaming pairalin ang katotohanan, katarungan at katwiran. Ilayo mo po ang bawat isa sa amin sa pagkiling at maging sa pansariling interes upang makapagpasya po kami ng objektibo at may banal na integridad. Hinihingi po namin ang iyong gabay na magbigay sa amin ng puso na may pagpapakumbaba. Puso na paggalang at puso para sa tunay na malasakit at pagmamahal sa aming inang bayan. Lalo na po ngayong mga panahon na ito na marami sa aming mga kababayan ay nakakaranas ng hagupit at epekto ng mga bagyo at habagat. Nawa po ang aming mga pasya ay magmula sa hangaring makabubuti lamang sa nakararami naming mga kababayan. Hindi lamang po dito sa Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao maging sa iba yung dagat. Higit po sa lahat ngayong araw na ito, hinihingi po namin na pagkalooban mo kami ng ibayong karunungan upang makita, makilala, at sa tuwinay, panghawakan po namin ang katotohanan. Nawa po ito ay maging gabay namin at batayan namin sa bawat pagpapasya namin. Hinihiling po namin ito sa ngalan ng pinakamataas na pangalan sa ngalan ng aming Panginoong Yesus ang lahat po'y makiisa at magsabing Amen.

Amen. The Clerk of Court will now call the roll.

Call call of members.

senator-judge Aquino, senator-judge Cayetano Allan, senator-judge Cayetano Pia, senator-judge De La Rosa, senator-judge Ejercito, senator-judge Estrada, senator-judge Goh, senator-judge Ontiveros, senator-judge Lacson, senator-judge Lapid, senator-judge Legarda, senator-judge Marcoleta, senator-judge Marcos, senator-judge Padilla, senator-judge Pangilinan, senator-judge Sotto III, senator-judge Tulfo Erwin, senator-judge Tulfo Rafi, senator-judge Villanueva, senator-judge Villar Camil, senator-judge Villar Marc, senator-judge Zubiri, the presiding officer, senator-judge Escudero, senate president, senator-judge Gatchalian.

With 17 senator-judges present, the chair declares the presence of a quorum. Before I recognize the presiding officer, allow me to greet the happy birthday senator-judge Tito Sotto and senator-judge Kiko Pangilinan. Happy birthday po sa inyong dalawa. In accordance with the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, the Chair now recognizes the duly elected presiding officers to preside over the proceedings of the Impeachment Court.

Thank you, Distinguished Senate President. If there are no objections, we shall dispense with the reading of the Journal of the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court dated 17 August 2026 and shall consider the same as approved.

The Clerk of Court will please call the case before the Impeachment Court.

Case number 004-2026 in the matter of impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte.

Today we shall resume with a direct examination of Ms. Gina Acosta, the Clerk of Court through the Sergeant at Arms. It's directed to kindly situate Ms. Gina Acosta to the witness stand.

Ma 'am Gina, sa witness stand na po kayo.

Before we continue, appearances for the parties.

Same appearance for the prosecution, Your Honor. We are ready.

Good morning, Your Honor. Same appearances for respondent of use.

May I now turn over to Atty. Ligutan, counsel for the prosecution for the continuation of the direct testimony of our witness, Your Honor.

Yes, you may. Atty. Ligutan, you're recognized.

Thank you, Honorable Soa. Ma'am Gina, patuloy po kayo magbibigay ng testimonya base po sa nauna ninyong panunumpa nung nagdaang linggo. Nauunawa niyo po ba yan?

Opo, Your Honor, may muntag po sa tanahan.

So under oath pa rin po kayo at magpapatuloy po yung inyong direct examination. Good morning to you as well. Attorney Ligutan, your witness.

Magandang umaga.

Good morning again, Ms. Gina Acosta. Kumusta po kayo?

Good morning po, sir.

How are you?

Medyo kabado po.

Kabado pa rin. Now, let's continue. Now, nasabi mo during the previous hearing na na-withdraw yung 125 million pesos in cold cash sa isang araw lang. Di po ba yung grasundun that you had to withdraw 125 million pesos in one day on December 20, 2022 kasi nga hindi na siya magagamit ng opisina niyo? from after December 31, 2022. Hindi po ba?

Ang pagkakaalam ko po na yung Confidential Fund for 2022 dapat po magamit po within the year 2022.

Until December 31, tama po ba? Now, by the way, nasabi mo na you put yung 125 million pesos sa apat na traveling bags. Tama po ba?

Tama po, Your Honor.

And then, saan galing itong mga traveling bags neto?

Yung naimungkahi ko po yun kay Ma'am Bebe Sara at saka kay Isaac Ortonio. And then, naisabi ko din yun kay Colonel Lachika.

Nag-sabi

lang po siya na okay. Tapos yung kay Sir Lachika po.

Yung lang yung tanong now. Ma'am, hindi po ba na noong araw na iyon, nagpunta kayo sa bangko, dala-dala na yung apat na traveling bags. Tama po ba?

Yes, Your Honor.

Apat lang yung dinala nyo, di ba? Opo. Now, ito yung tanong now.

Kasyang-kasya yung 125 million pesos into four traveling bags. Yung tanong is ganito.

Paano niyo po nalaman na saktong-sakto sa

apat na traveling bags yung 125 million pesos? Paano niyo nalaman?

Objection, Your Honor. The question is misleading. The witness has not testified as to the... na saktong-sakto yung bags.

But, Your Honor...

Overruled. Witness testified that it fit. She brought four traveling bags and that they brought out the four traveling bags from the bank with the assistance of the security guards of the bank. Witness may answer?

Pakisagot po, Ma'am Gina. Paano niyo nalaman na apat na bag ang kailangan niyong dalhin para sa 125 million?

Ano po? Sige, tansya ko lang po.

Estimate lang?

Opo, estimate.

Hindi pa po niyo yung nagawa sa talambuhay ninyo?

Wala po, sir. Hindi pa po. Please proceed, counsel.

Okay, now, hindi po ba, this is a probing question, Your Honor, hindi po ba na saktong-sakto yung apat na bags dinalan nyo? Kasi po, na-experience nyo na yung pag-i-encash ng around the same amount, 500 million pesos, yung panahon na kayo ay SDO ng Davao City. Tama po ba?

Objection, Your Honor. Asked and answered, Your Honor.

Your Honor, this is a probing question.

Asked and answered, Counselor, she said, hindi pa. Try to elicit a contrary answer from her.

We

will, Your Honor. Now, Madam Witness, hindi po ba na para sa taong 2019, okay, 2019, ma'am ha, yung Davao City under sa pamumuno, ng Mayor at that time, Sara Duterte, in 2019, ma'am, binigyan din ng 460 million pesos in confidential funds yung Davao City. Now, before you answer that, I'm showing you an infographic of the yearly confidential funds allocated to Davao City from 2016 to 2022. Now, ito yung tanong now.

Hindi po ba in 2019, yung allocated na confidential funds para sa Davao City is 460 million pesos. Naaalala niyo po ba yan?

Hindi ko maalala, Your Honor.

For 2020, 460 million pesos din yung na-allocate to Davao City as confidential funds. Naaalala niyo po ba yan?

Hindi ko maalala, Your Honor, kasi hindi po ganyan ang aking na-withdraw as SDO po sa Davao City.

Ma'am, so yung tanong hindi yung how much yung na-withdraw nyo, yung tanong is how much yung na-allocate?

Hindi ko maalala, Your Honor.

For 2021, hindi mo rin maalala na yung na-allocate? na amount as confidential funds sa Davao City is 460 million pesos. Hindi mo rin maalala yan, ma'am?

Hindi ko na maalala, Your Honor. Tagal naman kasi yun, Your Honor. Tapos may edad na po ako, Your Honor.

Anyways, okay. That is your answer. For 2022, so ma'am, sinasabi niyo? Okay, what about for 2022? Before you transfer to the OVP, okay? Yung Davao City nabigyan din ng 460 million pesos in confidential funds, 2022. Hindi nyo rin maalala iyan.

Hindi ko maalala, Your Honor, kung ilan... Ay, maupa na? O yan ba ang confidential fund, Your Honor?

Is it because, sabi mo, sa edad nyo, hindi nyo na maalala, ma'am? Di po ba?

Contributor po ang edad ko, Your Honor. At saka, dugay na po na, Your Honor. Matagal na, Your Honor. By

dugay, the witness said, matagal na. 2022.

2022. Apat na taon pa lang yung nakalipas. I'm not yet done. I'm not yet done. Can we

let the counsel finish? This

is a probing question.

And you are telling this public, ma'am? Hindi nyo na maalala? yung amount na binigay sa OVP na nangyari lang apat na taon pa lang. Objection, Your Honor.

Asking answered and argumentative, Your Honor.

He's trying to impeach, I believe, the witness with respect to the earlier answer that she gave, which she can do, counsel, given that she has been declared by the court as a hostile witness. Witness may answer. Objection overruled. Hindi niyo maalala, ma'am? 2022?

Ano po iyon, sir? I'm confused.

Nalibog ko na I'm confused kung ang pangutanan ni mo sa Davao ba o ang pagka-Vice Presidente ni Ma'am Sara.

Before po kayo na-transfer from Davao City to the OVP in 2022, yung budget for 2022, confidential funds, is P460 million. You don't also remember that.

All

in all, from 2019-2022, a simple math will tell us 1,840,000 pesos.

Almost 2 billion confidential funds sa Davao City binigay. Hindi niyo rin maalala yung total na iyan. Tama po ba?

Last hearing, August 17, 2026, nasabi niyo, that you released 125 million pesos to Colonel La Chica kasi yun yung instruction sa'yo ng head of agency. Now, to refresh your memory, here is a short clip of that hearing before the Committee on Good Government. Play the video, please.

You were able to check if the items and the amounts provided in the object of expenditure total to 125 million. You checked that?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Tanong Ms. Acosta, what gave you the confidence? Ano ang nagbigay sa inyo ng lakas ng loob na ibigay ang buong 125 million kay Col. Lachica considering that he is not the accountable officer? Because it is you who is the accountable officer.

May approval po kay Ma'am Inday Sara.

And without the approval of the Vice President, will you give that to Colonel La Chica?

Hindi po.

Do you know Colonel La Chica?

Yes po, kasi siya po ang aming ground commander

ng BPS.

How

long have you known Colonel La Chica?

Yung na-employ po ako after three months, yung na-employ po ako sa OBP, ma'am.

How long have you known? Since 2022?

Yes po, ma'am.

Do you trust Colonel La Chica?

I trust Sir La Chica kasi ginatrust po siya ng aking head of office na si

Maganday Sara.

In

other words, the only reason why you are giving your trust to Colonel La Chica is because of the instruction of the Vice President.

Yes, ma'am.

Without the instruction of the Vice President, you will never give the entire amount of 125 million to Colonel La Chica.

Yes, ma'am.

And do you realize also, Mr. Okay,

now, Madam Witness, I'm showing you now a portion of the Joint Circular 6.1.1. Show the circular, please. And you will be aided, if you may, with a copy of the TSN through the assistance of the Joint Circular through Atty. J. Now, hindi po ba, ma'am? Nakasulat sa 6.1.1 ng Joint Circular 2015-01. Sinasabi dyan, under no circumstance, funds,

it be used for liquidation of the previous cash advance, o ito, or be transferred from one accountable officer to another. It's there. Tama po ba?

Second sentence po ng 6.1.1. Uulitin ko. Under no circumstance shall confidential funds in particular be used or be transferred from one accountable It refers to officer to another. Alam niyo itong provision na ito. Tama po ba?

Alam po

po.

Despite

knowing that, you still, binigay mo pa rin sa isang security officer yung pera despite knowing 6.1.1. Tama po ba?

Gidisbors po ako sa security officer, Your Honor.

This is the first time we're hearing that. Now,

let's go to 6.1.6. at the Joint Circular.

6.1.6.

Nakasulat dyan, ma'am. Confirm. No transfer of funds, appropriation through cash advances or any form of payment from one agency to another for purposes of confidential and intelligence activities shall be allowed. So yung kanina, hindi po pwede yung pag-transfer from one accountable officer to another. Worse. sa hindi-accountable officer. And then you will confirm, based on 6.1.6, hindi rin po pwede yung pag-transfer ng confidential funds from one agency to another. Of course, alam niyo rin yung provision na iyan. Tama po ba?

Opo, Your Honor.

And despite knowing that, pangalawang provision na... na bawal yung pag-transfer, binigay niyo pa rin kay Col. La Chica yung Confidence on Funds. Tama

po ba?

I-disbursed ko po kay Col. La Chica, Your Honor.

Disbursed now, this time, the term you are using is disbursed. That's interesting. Now, Col. La Chica is the ground commander of the Vice Presidential Special Protection Group. Tama po ba?

Yes, Your Honor.

BPSPG ay isang unit under ng Armed Forces of the Philippines. Tama po ba?

Siya po. Unit po iyon sa Office of the Vice President, Your Honor. Ang BPSPG ay Vice Presidential Security Protection Group of the Vice President, Your Honor.

Hindi po ba? The fact remains na si Col. La Chica ay isang career officer pa rin ng Armed Forces of the Philippines. Tama po ba?

Sundalo si Col. La Chica under the office of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Tama po ba?

Member po siya, Your Honor. Official po siya, Your Honor.

And then the last hearing, hindi mo masagot-sagot yung napakasimpleng tanong kung empleyado ba or hindi si Col. La Chica. Objection, Your Honor. Argumentative. That's

a probate question to what the witness already answered. Just answered rather.

Witness may answer, kindly answer the question, Ma'am Gina.

Wala na ako to nasagot, Your Honor, kay Dilip Manco, nagtrabaho sa HR, Your Honor.

Okay,

thank you. Now, Madam

Witness,

hindi po ba, as the Special Disbursing Officer, SDO, kayo po ay you posted yung tinatawag na fidelity bond with the Bureau of Treasury. Tama po ba, Ms. Acosta?

Tama po, Your Honor.

At hindi rin po ba naalala niyo that you admitted na kailangan niyong na kaya kailangan kayong mag-post ng bond Dahil posibleng mawala niyo ang pagkalaki-laking pera. Tama po ba? To aid your memory, we will show you transcript of scenographic notes of that March, sorry, of that 2024, November 25 hearing before the Committee on Good Government of the House of Representatives. Show the TSN, please.

Tanong, Ms. Acosta, hindi po ba kayo ay natakot? magbit-bit ng ganitong kalaking halagah na pera considering the possibility na baka ma-hold up kayo. Remember, you are covered by a Fidelity Fund. And one of the reasons is the possibility of losing this huge amount of money. Do you remember having answered that?

Opo, Your Honor.

You will agree na yung rason ba't kailangan mag-post ng fidelity ban yung isang accountable officer like you e para maprotektahan yung pera ng bayan. Ibig sabihin, kung mawala yung pera, at least, at least, may ban na pupwedeng makarecover yung bansa. Tanong, tanong, si Colonel Achica ba nag-post?

I

will repeat the question.

Sinabi natin yung rason ba't kailangan ng fidelity ban para maprotektahan yung pera pinaghirapan ng taong bayan. Tanong, si Colonel La Chica ba na pinagbigyan mo ng 125 million pesos plus 375 million pesos or a whopping total of 500 million pesos. Tanong ng bayan, Gina Acosta, si Colonel La Chica ba ay nakapag-post ng Fidelity Band?

Objection, Your Honor.

Misleading, Your Honor. I believe the witness has only testified as regards to 125 million. There's no testimony yet as regards the... Amount mentioned by the counsel for the prosecution, Your Honor.

I will. Can I respond to that, Your Honor, please?

Kindly respond, Attorney Ligutan. He has a point.

I do remember. Okay. I do remember this witness testifying that's the same thing they did for the three

quarters of 2023.

I do remember that. And the

question is quite simple. Does some... Tama ba yung tanong, Attorney Ligutan? Sa pagkakaalam niyo po, may bond po ba? May fidelity bond po ba si Colonel Lachica tulad niyo ng SDO?

Bonded po ba siya ma'am?

Si security officer na si Colonel Lachica na siya ang commanding officer sa BPSBG. dili po siya bandit, Your Honor, pero ang accountable pa rin, Your Honor, ako gihapon, Your Honor. I am still the accountable person, Your Honor. That's why po, Your Honor, ako po ang gumawa ng liquidation, Your Honor. That is correct,

ma'am. You have said that. Ito

'y niligutan, Your Witness. Now, hindi po ba, ma'am, na para sa three-quarters of 2023, this is, I'll break the question down, you also gave 125 million pesos para sa first quarter ng 2023 kay Col. La Chica. Hindi po ba?

Nag-release po ako, Your Honor.

To La Chica. Opo, Your Honor. For the second quarter, 125 million pesos to Col. La Chica din. Unbunded si La Chica. You gave 125 million pesos to Col. La Chica. Tama po ba?

Tama po, Your Honor. Kaya siya po ang amuang security officer ngagi talaga ni Vice President Sara Duterte para mag-implementan ng mga confidential activities, Your Honor. Kaya siya man ang na-axis, Your Honor. Yes,

ma

'am.

Yes, ma

'am.

And for the third quarter of 2023, another 125 million pesos in cold cash to Colonel Achica. Tama po ba?

Tama po, Your Honor.

So in total, kalahatin pilyong piso na pera ng taong bayan pinigay mo sa

isang unbounded person. As you answered, Your Honor. Witness

may answer. Counsel is seeking emphasis and clarification.

Nirelease ko po kay Colonel La Chica, Your Honor, kasi siya po ang tinalaga ng aming vice-presidente na siya po ang security officer, Your Honor. Siya po ang may alam, siya po ang eksperto, Your Honor, sa pagpatupad ng mga project o program regarding sa operation ng confidential activities, Your Honor. I

will ask this

question, Your Honor. Hindi po ba, ma'am? Nasa iba't-ibang tanong ko, paulit-ulit na yung sagot nyo kasi nga siya yung may alam sa pag-implement ng confidential activities. Hindi nyo rin po ba napansin na sa mga iba't-ibang question ko, sa iba't-ibang punto, parang iisa na lang po yung sagot nyo. Napansin nyo po ba? Hindi.

Colonel, Your Honor?

Yes.

Yun lang ang sagot ko, Your Honor.

Let's go to this tree planting activity, ma'am. Sinabi niyo, pareho sa good governance program, yung socio-economic program, kinocover din yung tinatawag ninyo na tree planting activities. Tama po ba?

Your Honor.

Ma'am, ma'am, ganito po ma'am, no? Napaka-simple ng tanong. Kung gusto niyo pong mag-explain ka. Nang sagot niyo, puwede po sa pamamaraan po ng abogado ng kapila. Napakasimple po ng tanong. Para sa socio-economic program ng Office of the Vice President, isa sa mga activities na pinaggamitan ng confidential funds, sinasabi niyo, siguro pag-secure sa mga tree planting activities, hindi po ba? Yes or no?

Ang tree planting po, ay kasali po sa pinag-gastusan ng Confidential Fund. During, before po gawin ang tree planting, ang aming security officer, Your Honor, mag-conduct po sila ng surveillance, Your Honor, kung safe ba. Yes, ma'am. Tama po. Tama po. Kanang action, Your Honor, partner na sa Confidential Fund, Your Honor. So

sinasabi niyo, importante. yung confidential funds para masigurado yung security ng Vice President. Tama po ba?

Now,

hindi po ba, noong Agosto, August 13, may lang araw pa lang yung nakakaraan, 2026, yung Vice President nag-tree planting activity

in Masibay Integrated School in Nunungan, Lanao del Norte as can be shown in these news reports. Tanong, 2026. Ito yung tanong now. May

confidential funds ba yung office of the Vice President sa taong ito, 2026?

Wala po, Your

Honor. And despite that, despite the absence of confidential funds, nakapag-treplanting, with

God's blessing, nakapag-treplanting yung Vice President.

Nagligtas ng walang untoward incident. Tama po ba?

Irrelevant, Your Honor.

That's very much relevant,

Your Honor.

If I may, I can explain that.

It's part of the liquidation report of the Confidential Funds Council. Why is it irrelevant?

This is for 2026, Your Honor. The question pertains to an activity in 2026, Your Honor, which is not covered by the articles of impeachment, Your Honor.

This is 2026, counsel?

Yes, Your Honor. 2026, the point is there was no confidential funds allocated and the Vice President was able to conduct one. Sinasabi ng... If I may, Your Honor.

I get your point, counsel. I think counsel was able to explain.

Atty. Linden? Yes, witness may answer. Ang punto lamang naman, Atty. Ligutan, correct me if I'm wrong, is kasama sa confidential funds na pinag-liquidate nila, yung tree planting, liyo mo no, libre yung sakay, yung mga enumeration nila, baga man hindi ito sa cloud ng taong sakop ng impeachment, gusto mo lang patunayin na nagawa pa rin ito kahit walang confidential funds.

Crystal clear.

Yes, sir.

Yes, witness will answer if she knows. If she knows because she's the SDO for the confidential funds.

Hindi ko alam, Your Honor. Hindi mo alam.

Hindi mo alam. Now, going back. Yung nabigay mo yung 125 million pesos to Colonel La Chica, binigyan ka rin niya ng tinatawag niyong list of expenditures. Tama po ba? And then, to aid your memory, ma'am, kasi nga sabi mo, hindi na mo alala yung mga nangyari. Four years ago, I'll show you. I'll show you. Transcript of scenographic notes. November 25, 2024.

Or even before I... Naalala

niyo, ma'am, na binigyan din kayo ni Col. Chica yung pinatawag niyong list of objects of expenditures and requests for funding. Hindi po ba?

List of objects of expenditures, Your Honor.

Yes. Ano ba itong mga objects of expenditures na ito?

Yun po ang mga proposed expenses po na ma-incurred po ni Security Officer, Your Honor.

Okay now, and then si Colonel LaChica din yung nag-determine ano yung mga objects of expenditures, hindi po ba siya?

Sa kanya po galing, Your Honor. Sa

kanya galing. Now, ito yung tanong now. Ma'am. Yung binigay mo yung 125 million pesos in cold cash to Col. La Chica, did you ask him to sign an acknowledgement receipt or any voucher na magpapatunay na tinanggap niya galing sa iyo yung 125 million pesos?

Di pa-receive na ko siya, Your Honor.

Yung tanong is, did you ask him to sign an acknowledgement receipt? Yes or no?

Di pa-receive na ko siya, Your Honor.

Being evasive. The

question

is so

simple. Di ba kasama po sa liquidation report niyo, yung mga acknowledgement receipt na sinubmit, iba't ibang pangalan, di po ba? Opo, di ba? Iba't ibang pangalan. So alam niyo po ang kahulugan ng acknowledgement receipt. Ang tanong, may acknowledgement receipt bang pinirmahan si Colonel Lachica para sa binigay niyong 125 million?

Nung nalibog ko, I'm sorry, I'm confused.

Paghatag na ko kay Colonel La Chica ng

125M,

gipareceive na ko siya, Your Honor. Dito sa objects of expenditure na gihatag niya sa kuha, dito na na na ko siya, gipareceive,

Your Honor.

Mam, naniniwala akong kaya niyong gamitin ang wikang Pilipino rito. Nung binigay niyo yung 125M sa kanya, Pinareceive niyo sa kanya. Ibig sabihin, may pinirmahan siyang papel na tinanggap niya yung 125 million mula sa inyo.

Opo, Your Honor.

Okay. Tanong. Continue, counsel. Ano yung dokumentong iyan kung saan makikita natin, ma'am, na sinasabi ni Colonel Achica, pinirmahan niya, na tinanggap niya yung 125 million pesos galing sa iyo?

Internal document namin, Your Honor, doon po sa object of expenditures.

Doon

ko siya pinareceive, Your Honor.

Okay, now, ano yung nakasulat sa object of expenditure na yan na magpapatunay sa sinasabi mo ngayon na tinanggap

ni Colonel La Chica yung 125 million pesos galing sa'yo?

Kitatakan ako o receive, Your Honor. Tapos sa receive, sa below sa receive ng word, below the received na word, doon siya nag-sign, Your Honor.

Nang? Anong sinayon niya?

Gipirmahan niya. Ang permahan niya, Your Honor.

Madam

Witness, so

yung sinasabi mo now, tinatanong ka, ano yung pruweba mo na natanggap ni Colonel Atchika yung 125 million pesos galing sa'yo. Yung sinasabi mo now, and it's plain to see,

Tinatakan mo yung object of expenditure. Tama po ba?

Opo.

And then, sa ibabaw niyan, pinirmahan ni Colonel La Chica. Tama po ba?

Opo.

Tanong, walang nakasulat na

125 million pesos yung natanggap ni Colonel La Chica galing sa'yo sa araw na iyan. Na, Your Honor. Sa list of expenditures. Now, Your Honor,

meron po, Your Honor, kasi ang nakalagay po sa object expenditures, ito po yung purchase of information, amount, then purchase of reward, amount, then ano pa yung mga expenses, then total, 125M. So, doon ko siya pinareceive, Your Honor.

Pero

yung documento yun, Your Honor, is... Internal po namin, Your Honor.

Anyways, I will probe deeper. Sa list of expenditure nakasulat dun, eto yung paggagamitan tsaka eto yung nakalaan na pera. Tama po ba? O,

meron ganyan.

Yun lang. Yun lang. Ano yung paggagamitan tsaka ano yung nakalaan na pera? Yun lang. Tama po ba?

Meron pa siyang sentence, paragraph, Your Honor, sa ibabaw.

Na ano?

In line with the blah blah blah blah blah, the following are the proposed expenses for the implementation of confidential

Activities for calendar year for the fourth quarter 2022.

Then

yun na. Yes, ma'am. Particular purchase of information with corresponding amount, blah, blah, blah. Tapos na total 125 amount. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Tapos submitted by the CHICA. Okay. Dito sa baba, dito kung na siya pinareceive. na nireceive niya yung 125 billion. Okay

now, kaya nga, yun yung tanong ma'am. Napakasimple ng tanong ma'am eh. Paulit-ulit sabi mo, list of expenditures, nakasulat dun. Ito yung paggagamitan, ito yung nakalaan, 125 billion pesos, saka firma lang ni Colonel Achica, saka tinatakan mo receipt. Ma'am, you are under oath. Pero sa dokumentong iyan, sa dokumentong iyan ma'am,

Walang naka-indicate dun sa isang napaka-simpling phrase. Tinanggap ko galing kay Gina F. Acosta yung perang 125 million pesos sa araw na iyan na makikita natin. Alam ng taong bayan, makikita natin yan sa kahit anong simpleng transaksyon na kung saan may palitan ng kamay. Sa pera, wala yan.

Objection, Your

Honor. Ask and answer,

Your Honor.

While indeed it was asked and answered, counsel, I think counsel is seeking clarification on this point. It affords the witness an opportunity to clarify her answer too because she seems to be unsure. So, I'll allow it for now, counsel, with your indulgence. Ma'am Gina, pakisagot po yung katanungan ni Atty. Ligutan.

You want me to repeat the question?

Gipareceive ko siya, Your Honor.

Ayun, exactly. Paulit ulit po. I think

alam

po natin. Pinareceive po at internal yung papel na nagsasabing nireceive. Hawak niyo po ba yun ngayon? May kopya po ba kayo nalang ngayon?

After po nang nakagawa na po ako ng liquidation, Your Honor, kinuha po ulit ni Security Officer La Chica, Your Honor.

Yung receipt, yung resibo na tinanggap niya yung pera, kinuha niya ulit?

Kinuha niya ulit, Your Honor, kasi nakaliquidate naman po ako, Your Honor. Ang base po ng aking liquidation, Your Honor, is yung mga document po

na

binigay sa akin ni Security Officer. After po, matapos po niya, ma-implement on the grounds ang mga confidential activities po, Your Honor.

Sorry po, Ma'am Gina, with the permission of counsels, with the indulgence of Attorney Legutan as well. Noong binigay niya yung 125 million kay Col. Latsika, may pinirmahan siyang resibo na tinanggap niya yung 125 million. Pribadong dokumento, internal document na opisina niyo. Tama po ah.

Opo, Your Honor.

Noong nakapagbigay siya ng liquidation kung saan at paano niya ginastos yung binigay niyong 125 million, binawi na po niya yung pinirmahan niyang resibo na tinanggap niya yung 125 kasi na-liquidate na po niya.

Nagbigay po siya sa akin, after po yung order, nagbigay siya sa akin ng reports na pinatawag po namin na fund utilization report.

Pagbigay po niya yun, binawi niya na yung pinirmahan niyang Resibo na tinanggap niya yung 125?

Wala pa, Your Honor. Ah, wala

pa?

Kasi aking gitali po, Your Honor, na tama po ba ang kinuha niya na 125, ang binigay, ang nirelease ko sa kanya na 125, tama po ba sa kanyang binigay sa akin na fund utilization report? Okay,

exacto. Tumama.

Exacto. So, nakagawa na ako ng accomplishment report based sa fund utilization report na binigay sa akin.

ni CISO officer, Karne Lacheca.

Binigyan niyo na ba,

sinoli niyo na ba yung receipts sa kanya pagkatapos nun?

After po na, tapos po na aking liquidation, na isubmit po na po sa kuwa. Sa kuwa.

Doon niyo na po sinoli?

Kinuha na po niya, Your Honor, kasi nakaliquidate naman po kami. So

wala na po sa kamay niyo na? Sa kamay na po niya?

Wala na po sa akin, Your Honor.

At ganyan din po ang ginawa niyo? sa taong 2023 dun sa tatlong 125. Pagkatapos niya, binigay niya yung pera, pinirmahan niya yung resibo ang tinanggap niya. Pagkatapos siya magbibigay ng fund liquidation report at na-liquidate niya at na-submit niya na sa COA, kinuha na rin niya yung resibo. At wala po kayo kopya.

Yes, Your

Honor.

Okay.

I will. Now, hindi po ba, at this particular moment, you cannot show any

document. At this moment, ma'am, I'm narrowing the question, Your Honors. At this moment, wala kayong may pakitang dokumento o anuman na magpapatunay na tinanggap, inacknowledge ni Colonel Achika yung pagtagap niya ng 125 million pesos galing sa iyo sa araw na iyan, December 20, 2022. Wala. Yes or no?

Direction, Your Honor. Ask and answer, Your Honor.

Actually, as the answer already,

I will have to sustain the objection already, counsel. That is already just for emphasis and I think the witness has answered it already.

I will continue, Your Honor. Same po.

Sa three quarters ng 2023, binibigay mo yung pera sa isang non-accountable officer na hindi banded.

Tsaka hindi ka... makakapagpakita 2023 this time ng kahit anong dokumento ngayon na magpapatunay na tinanggap nga ni Colonel Achica yung P375 million pesos in cold cash, pera ng bayan. Objection, Your Honor.

Misleading and asked and answered, Your Honor. It's misleading, Your Honor, because the witness did not make any testimony regarding the claim that the security officer is not accountable, Your Honor. And it's already asked and answered, Your Honor.

Counsel, I will have to sustain the objection but on the ground that it is compounded and if at all it is misleading because the P375 million was not given one time to Colonel Atchika.

I will break it down, Your Honor, please. You totaled it for her. I will break it down.

Para naman sa first quarter ng 2023 binigay mo rin P125 billion pesos in coal cash to Colonel Atchika. Tama po ba?

As you answered, Your Honor.

I'm breaking it down.

Yes or no? Witness may answer.

Gi-release ko po kay security officer kasi siya po ang itinalaga ng aming Vice President, Your Honor, at siya ang nakakaalam paano i-implement ang mga confidential activities, Your Honor.

There you go again. Now, for the first quarter ng 2023, Wala ka rin maipakitang any acknowledgement receipt, any document ngayon na magpapatunay na tinanggap ni Col. La Chica yung 125 million pesos cash galing sa iyo for the first quarter of 2023. Tama po ba? Magparisip

po ako, Your Honor.

Magparisip

po ako, Your Honor.

May dokumento kayo now? na ipapakita in an impeachment trial sa harap ng ating mga senator-judges, sa harap ng taong bayan na tinanggap nga ni Colonel Achica yung 125 million pesos galing sa iyo.

Your Honor, Your Honor, I would have to register a continuing objection to this line of questioning. Napakasimpleng tanong po, Your Honor. Considering that it's already asked and answered.

Ngayon. Counsel, you're on a short leash. I think the witness answered already from the questioning of the presiding officer himself. Although I know and understand it's for emphasis, but it can only go so far. Yes. The witness has already answered. So, ma'am, wala po kayong dokumentong hawak dahil nga binawi ni Col. Latsika. Tama po.

Binawi po niya, Your Honor po. Nakagawa na po ako ng liquidation, Your Honor. Nakasubmit na po kami sa kuha, Your Honor. Every time po, meron kaming confidential, Your Honor. Naka-liquidate po kami, Your Honor. Opo,

naunawaan

ko po yan. Pero, klaro lang po na binawi nga po niya, kaya wala po kayong kopya.

Yes, Your Honor.

At yan po yung ginagawian na niyo noong 2022 last quarter, first, second, and third quarter noong 2023.

Yes, Your Honor. Opo, tama. Okay.

Kaya wala po kayong hawag na kahit anong dokumento ngayon dahil naki-Colonel Latsika na at binabi po niya. Ma'am.

Yes, Your Honor.

Okay. Ma'am, eto yung tanong now. Eto yung tanong now, ma'am.

Hindi po ba kakaiba?

Unusual na yung acknowledgement receipt

babawiin? ng taong pinagbigyan mo ng pera. You don't find it unusual? Objection, Your Honor. Argumentative. Sustained. Sustained.

Ma'am, kindly.

Yes,

Your Honor.

Reform counsel.

In Davao City, prior to 2022, hindi po ba, ma'am, same pa rin yung procedure na ginagawa niyo?

Binibigay mo yung confidential funds sa isang security officer and then sabi mo, May acknowledgement receipt pero binabawi ng pinagbigyan mo yung acknowledgement receipt. Kaya hindi mo hawak. Tama po ba sa Davao City? Practice nyo doon.

I will have to recall, Your Honor, kaya matagal na po kasi yun.

Ma'am, hindi po ba ito yung nagiging method of procedure? May Latin term po tayo dyan, ma'am, ha? Method of procedure. Ito yung modus operandi.

ibibigay yung pera sa isang security officer hindi banded tsaka babawiin sinasabi mo ng pinagbigyan ng pera ang acknowledgement receipt modus operandi in English in simple English it means method a procedure nakagawian practice modus

tama po ba?

Objection, Your Honor. It's misleading because

There's no testimony. The witness testified that she does not remember.

Counsel, we both know modus has a secondary and double meaning. You can always use... Is this the standard operating procedure that you followed when you were SDO in both Davao and under the OVP? Ito po ba'y ginagawin ninyong practice at proseso? nung kayo po ay SDO ng Davao, kaugnayan ng Confidential Fund, at nung kayo ay SDO ng OVP, na yung pagbibigyan nyo, security officer o sino man, hindi bonded, pipirman na acknowledgement receipt, at pag nagbigay na siya ng fund liquidation report, fund utilization report, at nakaliquidate na kayo sa COA, babawin na.

Opo, Your Honor. Opo.

Now,

let

me proceed. Cash disbursement record. You are aware ano yung konsepto ng cash disbursement record or CDR. Let's go to paragraphs 7.1, 7.2. Your Honor, I endeavor to finish this before 12. I promise, Your Honor. 7.1, 7.2, 7.3. Of course, as an SDO, alam mo ano yung konsepto ng cash disbursement record. Alam mo yung konseptong iyan? Di po ba?

Attorney J., please assist.

27.1, 7.2, 7.3.

Assisting counsels

of both parties may approach.

Meron akong kopya, Your Honor.

Okay, now. What was the address? Sorry, ha?

You were supposed to record each invoice, receipt or voucher individually. Sa isang araw, kailangan nakatala sa CDR lahat ng perang lalabas sa opisina mo as SDO. Tama po ba?

Yes, Your Honor. Meron po akong CDR.

Okay, let's go into that. Sinabi mo may CDR ka. Ito yung tanong now. In that CDR, makikita ba dyan na binigay mo yung 125 million pesos kay Col. La Chica on December 20, 2022?

Yes po, nakalagay po doon, Your Honor, release to security officer,

Sir

La Chica, 125.

Can we have that?

Do you have a copy?

Hindi ako dinala, Your Honor. Hindi

mo dinala. Okay. Good. Now, ma'am, hindi po ba? Ma'am, sinabi mo? na yung mga acknowledgement receipt na sabi

mo, through the questions of the good presiding officer, pinirmahan, allegedly, ni Colonel La Chica, binawi niya, di po ba? Ma'am, yung tanong, what about yung mga acknowledgement receipts ng mga thousands of recipients like

Mary Grace Piatos, Andy Lim, binawi ba nila yung acknowledgement receipt? Yes or no?

I need to clarify the question, Your

Honor. I will

repeat the question. Sinabi mo, yung pruweba na binigay at saka tinanggap ni Col. Chica yung 125 million pesos. Sinabi mo, yes, pumerma siya. Pero binawi niya pagkatapos ng liquidation report. Ito yung tanong now. What about yung mga acknowledgement receipts? Mary Grace Piatos, Andy Lim. Binawi ba nila yung acknowledgement receipts or... You retained yung mga acknowledgement receipts na yun. You retained. Tama po ba?

Yung mga acknowledgement na yun, Your Honor, galing po yun kay ISO officer. Tapos, Your Honor, yan po ay hiningi po ng kuwa. Kaya nasubmit na po lahat ang mga acknowledgement, Your Honor, na galing siyang

mga

tao na

na naka-receive o yung pinag-gastusan po ni Colonel La Chica doon sa ground po, Your Honor, habang i-implement po ang confidential operation or activities, Your Honor. Para mais

-admit niyo sa COA. Yun yung sabi niyo, di ba?

Kailangan po yun, Your Honor. Yun, ma'am.

Kaya, Your Honor, with the court's indulgence, I will ask this question again. Yung binabi ni Colonel La Chica. yung acknowledgement receipt, hindi niyo po ba naisip na teka muna, Colonel LaChica, wait, wait, I'm not done, counsel, teka muna,

kailangan ko

isubmit sa COA. So, of course, I will not give this to you, Colonel LaChica, kasi nga, ano yung proheba ko na tinanggap mo yung pera galing sa akin? Hindi mo ba naisip yan, ginang Gina Acosta?

Objection, Your Honor. Argumentative, Your Honor.

Your Honor, ah... Your Honor, this is premise on her answer a while ago that she said because they had to submit that to COA. That's why I'm asking this question again.

Argumentative misleading, Your Honor. I

think you've established your point, counsel, both to the senator-judges and to the public. It is argumentative. I will move on. Move on to your next point, counsel.

Much obliged. Hindi po ba obligasyon mo bilang SDO na busisihin? yung mga acknowledgement receipts na sinasabi niyo na magpapatunay na tinanggap ng mga recipients yung pera ng taong bayan. Trabaho mo as SDO na busisihin yung mga acknowledgement receipts, hindi po ba?

Trabaho ko po, Your Honor, pero sa dami-dami po ng acknowledgement receipts, hindi ko po maalala lahat, Your Honor, yung mga... Mga ibang detalyes kagaya ng mga names, Your Honor. And

I will help you remember, ma'am. Don't worry. Now, I'm showing you now an itemized confidential expenditures as stated sa accomplishment report niyo for the period December 21 to 31, 2022. Okay, so, para po matulungan natin si Gina Acosta maalala yung nangyari in 2022, apat na taon na kalipas.

Show this on screen please.

Surveillance and monitoring.

The total

amounts, while it's being shown, the process being shown, you will confirm that for an 11-day duration, December 21 to 31, 2022, yung Office of the Vice President nagbayad ng kabuuhang 16 million pesos. Nakasulat sa accomplishment report ninyo, rental of other incidental expenses relative to the maintenance of safe houses.

16 million pesos. Rental from December 21 to 31. 11 days. Confirm, Madam Acosta. Now this time, naaalala niyo na po ba?

Ayan po o. Rental of other incidental expenses, letter C, 16 million pesos.

Excuse me, Your Honor. Ang binigay po sa akin na yung divisisyon po, hindi po kagaya doon, Your Honor.

You look at the document.

Accomplishment report. You show it. It's there.

Kasi po. Ang sa screen po, nakalagay po, Your Honor, is 132. At ang dito, ang bukya

po, Your Honor, is 137.

Give the thumbs up sign which means yes in the affirmative. Tama mam? 16 million. Same na

po. Same na po ang aking kopya sa screen po, Your Honor.

16 million pesos from December 21 to 31, 2020 to 11 days. Tanong, hindi niyo po ba masasabi ito ay unconscionable, kasuklam-suklam or extravagant? or labis-labis. Objection, Your Honor. Argumentative.

Wait, wait, wait. Not yet done.

Nasa circular, trabaho ng COVID-19 kung unconscionable ba or extravagant yung expenses. That's why I'm asking this witness now.

The witness is not from COVID-19.

I'm not... The witness... Is that... Are you done? Not yet, Your Honor. In fact, I'm not yet done with the question, Your Honor. Hindi po ba kasuklam-suklam labis-labis in English? unconscionable and extravagant as mentioned in the circular for the office of the Vice President to spend 16 million pesos in 11 days or a total of 1.4 million pesos hindi nga per month eh, per day.

Now, counsel, Attorney Linden, what

is your objection? Same

objection, Your Honor, with the addition that it's also compound, Your Honor. What was the first objection, counsel?

It's argumentative, Your Honor.

I will have to overrule it, counsel. Kindly answer the question, ma'am. Just with one variation, unconscionable is not kasuklam-suklam. Mahirap tanggapin, mahirap makonsensya, pero hindi naman kasuklam-suklam ang unconscionable, counsel. With that clarification, witness may answer?

Hindi ba niyo nakita?

Sorry po, Your Honor.

Hindi ba

kayo nahirapang tanggapin na ganong kalaki yung gastusin para sa December 21 to 31 lamang na pagrenta ng mga safe house? Hindi po ba para sa inyo? Katanggap-tanggap po ba yun o hindi?

Ako po, Your Honor, nag-rely po ako sa mga dokumento na binigay sa akin ng security officer, Your Honor. Kasi siya po ang nag-implement doon sa ground, Your Honor. Wala po ako doon, Your Honor. Kasi wala po akong access sa mga security, Your Honor. Kaya nag-rely po ako sa security officer namin na Sir La Chica, Your Honor. So

pag nagsabing nag-rely, inasahan nyo lamang po yung binigay sa inyong fund utilization, kaugnay at kabilang na yung renta na ganyan ang amount.

Apo.

Umasa lang kayo sa binigay sa inyong report na 16 million yung renta ng iba't ibang safe house sa loob ng 21 to 31 December.

Yes, Your Honor. Nag-rely po ako sa aming security officer, Your Honor, kasi siya po ang nag-implement, Your Honor. Okay.

Let me proceed. Proceed, counsel. Let's take a look at the same list from the accomplishment report for the period December 21 to 31. The amount for the purchase of supplies, provision of medical food aid. Okay? If we sum that up, it totals a whopping 75 million pesos para sa supplies, provision of medical and food aid. 75 million pesos. Tanong, ikaw ba ay in possession ng isang single official receipt na magpapatunay na talagang ginamit yung 75 million pesos para sa pagbili ng supplies, medical, and food aid. Do you have a single niisang official receipt? Yes or no?

Your Honor, nag-rely po ako kung anong mga dokumento ang binigay sa akin ng security officer, Your Honor. There

you go again.

The question is so simple. Do you or do you not have a single official receipt to prove na ginamit yung 75 billion pesos na pera ng taong bayan sa pagbili ng supplies, medical, and food aid?

As an answer, Your Honor.

Ma 'am Gina,

yung binigay sa inyong dokumento ng security officer, para i-liquidate itong pinambilin ng medical at saka food supplies. May kabilang po bang resibo doon o wala? Official receipt o wala po?

Acknowledgement receipt lang po, Your Honor, kasi po sa...

So wala pong official receipt. Yan lang po yung tanong ni Atty. Ligutan. So wala pong binigay na official receipt yung security officer sa inyo kaugnay sa kabuang halagang ito ng 75 million sa purchase of supplies, medical and food aid.

Acknowledgement receipt po, Your Honor. So

wala pong OR. Alam niyo naman po ma'am, ibig sabihin ng OR, di ba?

Opo, Your Honor. So

wala pong official receipt?

Wala po, Your Honor.

So, ito

yung

tanong now.

Ba't hindi kayo naghanap?

Galing kay Colonel La Chica. Hindi niyo ba naisip ma'am, Colonel La Chica, kahit ba yung pagbili ng gamot?

Yung pagbili? Is this an advertisement by you, Jessica?

Paracetamol. Ba't hindi tayo mag-produce ng official receipt? Ano po yung napaka-confidential kung saan binili?

Biogesic, paracetamol. Ano yung confidential? Hindi mo ba naisip tanungin? Kay Colonel La Chica yan. Objection, Your Honor. Compound and argumentative, Your Honor.

I'll allow it for now, counsel.

Kindly answer, Ms. Gina. Hindi niya ba naisip humingi ng OR?

Your Honor, as I browse or as I verify po ng mga acknowledgement receipt na binigay sa akin ni SO Officer Colonel La Chica, naitanong ko po siya kasi may napansin po ako na Ang iba, walang date, walang name, may perma. Ang sagot naman sa akin ni SO officer, Ma'am Gina, kung ano man ang binigay ko sa'yo ng mga dokumento, yun na yun. Kasi ang mga transaction or ang operation door is very sensitive information.

Sensitive information po, Ma'am Gina. At saka confidential po ito. Kaya kung ano ang binigay ko sa iyo ng mga acknowledgement receipt, yun po.

Yun na yun. With the indulgence of counsel, matapos kayong makatanggap ng AOM galing sa COA-IGFAO na nagahanap ng resibo, Hindi niyo hiningan pa rin si Colonel Lachica ng resibo? Hindi po ba yun ang nilalaman ng isa sa mga AOM na kailangan yung purchase of food and medical supplies may resibo? So ano pong ginawa niyo nun?

Nag-reply po ang office yun, Your Honor, pero hindi ko po masyado ma-relate kung ano yung exact reply namin for that, Your Honor.

Nag-reply po, pero bugso. Dahil sa kadahilanan, sa rason ng AOM, hindi po kayo nanghingi pa rin ng OR kay Colonel Lachica sa security officer. Sumagot na lang po yung opisina.

Sumagot po ang opisina, Your Honor. Tsaka, Your Honor, ang sabi po, kasi po, yung transaction na po, Your Honor, is confidential po, Your Honor.

Kaya nga, sapat na sa inyo yung sagot ni Colonel Lachica nung sinabi niyang, yun na yun, confidential yan, tinanggap niya po yan.

Opo, Your Honor. Ma

'am, ano yung sinasabi ni Col. La Chica? Yun na yun, hindi mo, you don't second guess yung ano yung binibigay na information sa'yo. Eto yung tanong now.

Hindi po ba obligasyon mo as the SDO na alamin at protektahan ang bawat sentimo? ng pera ng taong bayan.

Manifestation, when asked that question, the witness uminom po ng tubig.

Put that into record.

Your Honor, nag-verify po ako kay security officer, Colonel La Chica, Your Honor. Yun po ang pamamaraan ko. Yun po ang way ko na para Malaman ko kung yun po ang pinaggastahan ni Col. La Chica, Your Honor, kasi siya po ang may alam. Siya po ang nag-implement sa mga project po sa confidential operation or activities, Your Honor.

Same kind answer, Your Honor, please. Manifestation. Now, let's go to 4.15 of the Joint Circular 2015-01. Sinasabi dito, show that on the screen please, 4.15 joint circular. Sinasabi dito na the disbursement of confidential files must be supported by a certification of the accountable officer. Alalan niyo po ba? Di po ba?

Yes, Your Honor.

Of course, you will confirm na ikaw nag-certify for all the disbursements. ng OVP Confidential Funds last quarter ng 2022 tsaka three quarters ng 2023. First three quarters. To aid you, I'm showing you a certification of the Office of the Vice President notarized January 16, 2023 marked as Exhibit P-I-6-a. Show that certification please. The

name Gina F. Acosta appears on this document. as the Special Disbursing Officer. And a signature appears over this name.

This is your signature, correct?

Yes, Permako po. Ito, Your Honor.

Yes. Certification, this time, notarized on March 30, 2023, marked as Exhibit PI-6, small letter B. The name Gina F. Acosta appears on this document as SDO. May perma sa ibabaw ng pangalan na yan. Perma mo yan, di po ba?

Is another

document po ma'am, pangalawang certification.

Okay.

Okay, ah, perma mo yan, di po ba?

Opo.

Now, showing you another certification, notarized this time, July 11, 2023, marked as exhibit PI6C, may pangalang Gina F. Acosta, may perma sa ibabaw ng pangalang yan, perma mo yan, di po ba?

Opo, Your Honor.

This time, another certification dated, notarized rather, October 9, 2023. Exhibit P, I, VI, D, may pangalang Gina F. Acosta, May, perma, sa ibabaw ng pangalang iyan, perma mo iyan, di po ba?

Perma ko po ito, Your

Honor. Now, of course, sa mga certifications na ito, nakasulat dyan sa letter B, the expenses were incurred in connection with the agency's intelligence. and or confidential operations and activities sa letter B. Yun yung sinertify mo, di po ba?

Opo, Your Honor. Sa

letter F naman, naka-certify dyan that the expenditures are necessary and utilized for legal purposes. Tama po ba?

Yes, Your Honor.

Now, eto na yung tanong, ma'am.

Kung nag-certify ka under oath na legal yung paggamit,

yung personal mong basihan sa pagsa-certify na Tama yung pinaggamitan ng pera ng taong bayan. Yung basihan mo, hindi personal sa nakita, narinig, naramdaman. Kung hindi, ano lang yung isunumiti sa'yo ni Colonel Achica, hindi po ba?

Opo. Yun. But based on the certification sinasabi mo, hindi na misappropriate yung confidential funds, di po ba?

Kasi lahat po yung...

Okay, ma

'am. Yes or no po? Yes or no? Sinasabi niyo certification, hindi na-misappropriate ng Office of the Vice President yung confidential funds?

Opo. Okay. And since you are the SDO, alam mo lahat ng records sa mga disbursement. Di po ba?

Galing po kay Sir La Chica lahat, Your Honor.

Even as an SDO. Now, as an SDO, alam mo rin saan? Paano? At kanino? Disperse and confidence on funds. Tama po ba?

Based po sa mga document na binigay sa akin ng security officer, Your Honor.

Alright. There you go again. Now, let's go to an acknowledgement receipt. PI-81382.

1P181382. Sinasabi dyan ng isang Antonio Pagong.

Received 100,000 pesos for the payment of purchase of information. Antonio Pagong.

Ito yung tanong now.

Do you have personal knowledge? Sa Tagalog, nakita mo ba si Colonel La Chica na nagbigay ng 100,000 pesos in confidential funds sa isang Antonio Pagong? Yes or no? Nakita mo ba si Colonel La Chica nagbigay ng perang iyan, 100,000 pesos? To Antonio Pagong, nakita mo ba siya o hindi?

Hindi ko siya nakita, Your Honor, kasi wala po ako doon sa ground. Siya po ang nag-implement, Your Honor.

Let's go to P181620, Timon Andrew Pusa.

Timon Andrew Pusa, nakatanggap ng P100,000 rental of transport vehicle. Same sagot ba? Hindi niyo nakita si Col. La Chica nagbigay ng pera, hindi po P100,000 sa isang timon, Andrew Pusa, hindi po ba?

Hindi ko po, kasi wala ako doon, Your Honor. Gidisburse ko lang sa kanya ang pera. Siya po ang nag-implement.

Crystal clear. Let's go to PIA 1069. PIA 1069. This time, isang Don Piang.

Don Piang received 250,000 pesos for the payment of rental transports. Hindi nyo rin nakita si La Chica na nagbigay ng 250,000 pesos sa isang Don Piang. Kasi wala ka doon. Di po ba?

Opo, Your Honor. Yes.

Let's go to P182229. Kung may andilim. Not to be outdone, meron din Shane Ngitngit.

Translation, Ngitngit, Visaya for Madilim. Nakita niyo ba si La Chica na nagbigay ng P150,000 sa isang Shane Ngitngit? O hindi mo rin nakita? Hindi po ba?

Hindi ko nakita, Your Honor, kasi wala po ako doon sa ground. Si Col. La Chica po, na security officer, siya po ang nag-implement, Your Honor. Hindi

ko nakita kasi wala ako sa ground. Good. Now, last. May isang acknowledgement receipt.

P18612. I should be careful. Binigay sa isang Xuniso Bellat.

Xuniso Bellat.

Tanong. Nakita mo ba si Atty. Col. Chica na nagbigay ng 100,000 in confidential funds sa eksang Sunisu Bellat?

Hindi ko po nakita, Your Honor, kasi wala po ako sa ground. Siya po ang security officer namin, Your Honor, at siya po ang nag-implement ng mga confidential operations,

Your

Honor.

Therefore, Madam,

sino po kung meron man? ang nag-verify na totoo, sakto, legal lahat ng ginawa ni Col. Chica.

Nag-verify po ako sa kanya, Your Honor. Tinanong ko po siya, Your Honor. Tapos yun ang sagot niya, Your Honor. Ma'am Gina, yung mga dokumento na binigay ko sa iyo, yan po ang mga bali na resibo na magpapatunay, Your Honor, na nagamit po. ang pera ng confidential fund. At saka, Ma'am Gina, wala po kayo. Those are sensitive matters, sensitive operation po, Ma'am Gina. Confidential po yun.

Okay. Let me continue. So therefore, Madam Witness, in verifying kung tama yung sinasabi ni Colonel La Chica sa pagbe-verify na yan sa dinami-dami ng tao. sa buong mundo. Yung tinanong mo pa rin to verify is the same person, Colonel La Chica. Tama po ba?

Hindi mo rin nalibog na po ka? Opo. I will move on.

I will

move on, Your Honor. Now, sinabi mo, you all rely on Colonel La Chica. Hindi mo alam kung hindi mo nakita. na binigay ni Colonel La Chica yung pera sa mga recipients. Tama po ba? Opo. Wala rin official receipts. Hindi po ba? Opo. So aside sa sinasabi ni Colonel La Chica sa iyo, hindi mo mapapatunayan. Ma'am, careful ha, and being careful with this question because this is really important.

Aside po sa sinasabi ni Colonel La Chica sa iyo, Hindi mo now, hindi mo ngayon malalaman kung totoo ba na binigay ni Colonel La Chica yung pera, for example, kay Xuniso Bellat. Hindi po ba? I'll ask

an answer, Your Honor.

These are really important questions.

Witness will answer.

Na -interrupt ako.

Yes po, ma'am? Ulitin, na-interrupt ako, Your Honor, sorry. I will, I will. Sinabi mo, hindi mo nakita. si Colonel La Chica na nagbigay ng pera sa mga recipients. Okay? Sinabi mo rin na yung pagbe-verify mo is true. Colonel La Chica himself. Eto yung tanong now.

Aside sa sinabi ni Colonel La Chica sa'yo, hindi mo ma-be-verify, hindi mo malalaman kung totoo bang binigay ni Colonel La Chica. Yung pera sa sinasabi niyang recipients, di po ba?

Nag-verify po ako kay Colonel La Chica, Your Honor. Nag-rely po ako sa kanya, Your Honor. Kasi siya po ang nag-implement ng mga confidential activities, Your Honor.

Manifestation, another canned answer to a separate question. I will move on, Your Honor. Motion to strike, Your Honor,

impertinent.

That's

a manifestation that's allowed, Your Honor. Impertinent, Your

Honor.

Let it stay in the Record Council.

Now, so madam, madam... Hindi mo rin malalaman, hindi mo rin malalaman na

pinigay pala ni Colonel La Chica yung confidential funds sa mga kaibigan at kaalyado ng Vice President. Hindi po ba? Hindi mo rin malalaman yan, hindi po ba? Yes or no? Nag-relay ka lang kay Colonel La Chica.

Nag-relay pa ako kay Colonel La Chica at saka sa mga dokumento

po, Your Honor, na binigay niya sa akin.

Nagaling mo. Okay. Next question. Hindi mo rin malalaman, ma'am, na in fact, binigay ni Colonel Achika yung half a billion pesos sa Vice President herself. Hindi mo rin malalaman yan. Misleading, Your Honor. Your Honor.

No basis counsel. No basis counsel. Kindly reform.

Okay. Hindi mo rin malalaman, ma'am, na yung 125 million pesos na gamit. Not in 11 days, but in just 24 hours. Hindi mo rin malalaman yan.

Same objection, Your Honor.

Counsel, I'll allow you to proceed on a short leash on this line of questioning.

That's the last point, Your Honor, for this. Ma'am Gina, simple po yung tanong. Dahil inasahan niyo lang po yung binigay sa inyong dokumento at sinabi ni Colonel Lachica, kung totoo man o hindi, yung sinabi niya sa inyo at dokumento niya binigay, Wala po kayong personal na kaalaman dahil hindi niyo po nakita ang ginawa niya talaga yun. Tama po?

Tama po kasi siya po ang nag-implement. Siya po ang nasa ground. Siya po ang nag-implement ng mga activities regarding confidential, Your Honor.

At

siya po ang itinalaga. Meron po siyang order, Your Honor, as security officer, Your Honor. Siya po ang may-access, Your Honor, when it comes to security, Your Honor. Siya ang nai-training, siya ang expert, Your Honor. Ako, nag-disperse na ako sa iya, Your Honor.

So, kung totoo man nga po o hindi, kung tama man o mali, inasahan nyo lamang yung mga binigay sa inyong dokumento

ni Cornelia Chigal dahil siya yung authorized, siya yung sinabihan na gumagawin yan, at siya yung may training.

Opo, Your Honor. Wala

kang personal knowledge. na binigay nga dun sa mga taong iyon yung pera o ginastos talaga para sa supplies.

Wala po. Hindi po

kayo gumano. Wala, Your Honor. Wala po dito.

Okay. Last stretch of my questions. Madam Witness, last stretch. 6.2.3.1 of the Joint Circular, repeat, 6.2.3.1, sinasabi ng Joint Circular na ikaw ay required to submit a liquidation report. Tama po ba?

Opo, Your Honor. In fact, nag-submit ka ng liquidation report dated January 10, 2023. Okay. For the Office of the Vice President sa paggamit ng Confidential Funds, hindi po ba?

Opo, Your Honor. Excuse me, Your Honor. Pwede ma nga yung kopya?

Yes, ma'am. We will do that.

Salamat po.

Okay po,

Your Honor. Now.

So, sincertify mo na lahat ng mga data na sa reports are correct, di po ba?

Sincertify ko po kung ano ang nakalagay dito sa liquidation report na ito.

Opo ma'am, I'm showing you now liquidation reports for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd quarters ng 2022. May same certification, di po ba? Sa naging liquidation report nyo sa 2022, ano yung mga nakasaad dyan, di po ba? Same ano yung sinesertify nyo sa liquidation report, di po ba?

Opo, Your Honor.

In fact, yung pangalang Sara Z. Duterte as Vice President, makikita natin sa liquidation reports for the fourth quarter of 2022, adiretsyo na, first, second, third quarter ng 2023, tsaka may perma sa pangalang Sara Z. Duterte sa mga dokumentong iyan. Yung mga permang ito, mga perma ng ating Vice President, hindi po ba?

Perma po niya ito, Your Honor. So

sinasabi nyo, na yung Vice President din nag-certify sa lahat ng liquidation reports pinakita sa'yo in total half a billion pesos, 500 billion pesos. Sinasabi din ng Vice President na tama yung pinaggamitan ng confidential funds, hindi po ba?

Ang sinertify po niya dito, Your Honor, is purpose of cash advance duly accomplished.

Yes. Now, I will repeat this question. So kung nakapag-certify kayo na duly accomplish yung purposes ng cash advance,

yung

certification, base lang yan sa ano yung sinabi ni Colonel La Chica sa inyo, hindi po ba?

Base po ito sa mga documents po na binigay sa akin ni Security Officer Col. La Chica, Your Honor. Okay,

so now, hindi mo sinasabi, yun yung sinabi ni Col. La Chica, but this time, sinasabi mo, this time around, base naman sa mga dokumentong binigay sa iyo ni Col. La Chica, hindi po ba?

Asked and answered, Your Honor.

I'll allow the witness to answer. I'm sorry, counsel.

Hindi po ba?

Ano po yun?

Sorry po ha, sorry, sorry. Nakapag-certify ka, this time ha, defense, I'm asking about the liquidation report ha. Nakapag-certify ka sa liquidation report na tama yung pinaggamitan kahit hindi mo nakita personal paano ginamit ni Colonel Achica yung pera, hindi po ba?

Misleading, Your Honor. The liquidation report. contains a different statement, Your Honor. It's box A, certified correctness of the above data, Your Honor. So, the premise, the factual premise of the question is incorrect, Your Honor. That's

a liquidation report, Your

Honor.

Let me counsel. Let me counsel. Ma'am Gina, noong sinabi niyo pong certified correct yung nakapaloob sa liquidation report, ang pinagbasihan niyo pa rin ay yung impormasyong binigay sa inyo.

At hindi po personal niyong kaalaman na doon nga nagastos yung pera.

Excuse me, Your Honor. Yes,

ma 'am.

Your Honor, ang g-certify ko dito sa liquidation report, Your Honor, is the correctness of the above data, Your Honor. Ito lang pong period covered na tama, Your Honor. Ito pong particulars na tama, Your Honor. Entity, Your Honor, tama po, Your Honor. Ang amount, tama po, Your Honor. Kani po ang ako ang bot, ipasabot, nag-certify na ko ang above data. Kana po nga dita, Your Honor. At

nakalagay po nga sa data ngayon kung paano ginastos yung confidential fund, liquidation report nga po eh. Di po ba?

Above data po kasi, Your Honor.

Kaya nga po, nakalagay po sa above data. Can you bring up the... Can you scroll up, please?

Scroll up, please.

Can you zoom in on the particulars?

Yan po, yung liquidation nga po, sinertify nyo na yung liquidation ay tama.

Opo, Your Honor. At

ang basehan ng liquidation, yung mga dokumentong binigay ng security officer na si Colonel Achica.

Opo, Your Honor.

Hindi po yung personal ninyong kalaman na dun nga nag-aslusyon, kundi base sa kanyang binigay sa inyong impormasyon at mga dokumento.

Opo, Your Honor, kasi wala po ako doon. Siya po ang nag-implement, Your Honor. Nag-dispers lang po ako ng pera sa kanya, Your Honor.

Counsel, you might think of other questions already because I think the witness said that about 20 times already. Yes, sir.

We'll go to, this time, Your Honor, hindi na liquidation report. Last points. Accomplishment report naman. Or, let's not belabor the point, ma'am. I'll go for, I'll go directly to the point. Accomplishment report for 2022, three quarters. Sinasabi niyo na tama yung pinaggamitan ng pera ng taong bayan, 500 million pesos, kalahating billion pera ng taong bayan, sinertify niyo na tama yung pinaggamitan kahit wala kayong personal na alam kung totoo bang tama yung pinaggamitan ni Colonel Achica kasi nga nag-rely lang kayo sa sinabi ni Colonel Achica sa inyo, hindi po ba?

Nag

-rely po.

The witness testified that she relied on the statements and the documents, not merely the...

That is my question, Your Honor.

If she relied on the...

That was the question, counsel. If she relied on the documents given and statements made by Colonel Lachica, which you said several times, na confidential yun, di ba? You may repeat it again, Ma'am Gina. Your answer.

Nag-rely po ako, nakagawa po ako ng utilization report. Based po sa pagpangutana, pag-verify ko kay security officer La Chica na ma'am Gina, sensitive information na o confidential information o mga dokumento naghihatag, ngagikan kay security officer Colonel La Chica ng nisa ako ah.

Ma'am, curious lang ako, may sinabi po ba siyang Confidential to. Yan lang ang pwedeng bigay ko sa iyo. Wala na akong pwedeng bigay sa iyong iba. May ganun po ba?

Ang sinabi po niya, Your Honor, those transactions po or those operations po are sensitive and confidential in nature, Your Honor.

Kaya wala na po siyang bibigay na iba pang dokumento maliban dyan.

Oy, yung mga dokumento na binigay niya sa aking, Your Honor.

Yun lang yun. Hanggang dun lang.

Hanggang dun lang po, Your Honor. Okay.

Five questions.

You promised before lunch, counsel. Yes, Your Honor. Five questions. Hindi po ba, Madam Witness, pinalabas niyo na kayo mismo ang naghanda ng physical and financial plans para sa confidential funds ng Office of the Vice President for 2022 at 2023? Gayun ang totoo. Si Col. La Chica lamang pala ang nagsabi kung anong dapat isulat sa mga planong iyan sa plan.

Sorry, Your Honor. I confused with your question, Your Honor.

Your Honor, I will not repeat the question. I'll

move on to the

next.

No, I think

that's already on the Record Council. Yes. Ma'am Gina, sinagot niyo na po dati yan. Na yung physical and financial plan na hinanda niyo, kumuha kayo ng input kay Colonel Atchika. Hindi po ba? Opo,

Your Honor.

Hindi po ba't sa mga liquidation report, accomplishment report, pinapalabas niyo na tama yung pinagamitan ng confidential funds, pero yung totoo. Wala kayong personal na kaalaman kung sino ang mga tunet na tumigap ng pera, hindi po ba? Misleading, Your

Honor. I

think

it's just about to be done, counsel. Let's let him summarize his points. Hindi po ba?

Hindi po ba, Madam Witness? Wala kayong personal na alam na tama yung pinagamitan ni Colonel Achica despite the report certification kasi nga sabi ninyo nag-rely lang kayo kay Colonel Achica and this time you added sa mga dokumento, hindi po ba? Ask and answered,

Your Honor.

I

think ask and answered.

Last two questions, Your Honor. Again, for emphasis, I think the witness will confirm that. Tama po, Ma'am Gina?

Nag-rely po ako sa sinabi ni Colonel La Chica at sa mga document na binigay niya sa akin, Your Honor, after po na-implement po niya sa ground, ang mga confidential activities po, Your Honor.

At wala po

kayo sa ground?

Yes po, wala po

ako

doon, Your Honor.

Hindi po ba dahil sa mga... pinaggagawa niyo sa office of the Vice President nawalan ng paraan ang taong bayan na pagtumain, pagtumain, pagtugmain I repeat, hindi ba't dahil sa pinaggagawa niyo nawalan ng paraan ang taong bayan na pagtugmain on one hand ang paper trail I

cannot understand

or makadokumento On the other hand, ang totoong money trail, wala na pong paraan ng taong bayan na pagtugmain yung paper trail tsaka money trail. Hindi po ba? Yes or no?

Argumentative and speculative, Your Honor. If

you know, Ma'am Gina, kung alam niyo po, sabihin niyo po, alam niyo, kung hindi niyo alam, sabihin niyo rin pong hindi niyo alam. I will repeat the question if you may, Your Honor. I think she understood the question but... Difficult to answer on her part, counsel, but I don't want to put words in the mouth.

Malalim po ang Tagalog ni attorney Lagutan po. Ma

'am, it's Ligutan. Okay now.

Sorry po. I'm sorry. I'm

sorry, Your Honor. It's okay po. I'm sorry po. It's okay,

ma 'am. Sorry po. Sorry po. It's okay, ma'am. Ma'am, I will repeat the question. Kasi nga, sinasabi nyo, wala namang kayong kinalaman sa paano ginamit ni Colonel La Chica yung pera. Pero sincertify niyo na tama yung pinaggamitan ng pera. So di po ba yung taong bayan nawalan ng pamamaraan na pagtugmain, i-match yung mga dokumento, paper trail tawag natin dyan on one hand, tsaka yung aktual na paggamit ng pera or money trail. Napakaklaro na po. Nawalan po ang taong bayan ng pamamaraan at pagtugmain. yung dalawang bagay na yan. Yes or no? Speculative, Your Honor.

Wala po.

It's not, it's not.

Wala, wala, wala, nawalan ang, ano yun?

Hindi nawalan.

Hindi nawalan, Your Honor, kasi pwede po nila tanungin ang aming security officer na siya po ang nagpapatupad ng mga.

Okay now, last question. Darating po tayo dun, ma'am. I assure you. I hope we will arrive to that point.

Ma'am. Hindi ba ito isang scam? or tahasang panililan sa pera

ng kaubayan.

It did not come from the witness's mouth.

Kindly reform a bit, counsel. I think I know where you're getting at, too. And you've said it anyway.

That will be all

for

the

prosecution for this witness, Your Honor.

Do you want to start with your cross, counsel, or do you want to start your cross after lunch?

Can we do it after lunch, Your Honor?

Yes, we certainly can, but we shall...

We shall, since it's

a loony, 11.45, we shall break for lunch and shall resume at 12.30.

I hope 45 minutes would be enough with the senator-judges. Ma'am Gina, lunch break po muna tayo. Makakapaba po kayo sa witness stand. Wag po kayong kakain dyan ha. Kumain po kayo sa lamesa. Salamat

po, sir. Salamat po, Your Honor. Thank

you. We are on recess and we shall resume at 12.30 in the afternoon.

Trial is resumed.

May procedure, Your Honor.

Before that, Ma'am Gina, you are going to continue with your testimony sa pamamagitan ng cross-examination ng counsel for respondent sa ilalim ng pareho pa rin po niyong pinanumpaan noong nagsimula po kayo ng Tumistigo. Naunawa niyo po yan?

Opo, Your Honor. Okay.

Attorney Lindo, your witness for

your cross-examination. With the permission of this honorable court, good morning, good afternoon, ma'am Gina. Good

afternoon po.

You mentioned that you were the special dispersing officer of Davao City. And this is from 2018 to 2022, correct?

Opo, Your Honor.

And the mayor then was Vice President Sara Duterte.

Opo, Your Honor.

When you were STO, of Davao City. Your duty pertained to disbursing confidential funds appropriated for Davao City, correct?

Hindi ko maklaro ang... Noon pong

STO kayo, ang duty niyo po ay ang pag-disburst ng confidential funds para sa Davao City, tama po? Tama po. And you also prepared and submitted liquidation documents during that time, correct po? Yes,

tama po.

And when you were STO... Davao City, there is no audit observation memorandum issued by the Commission on Audit against you, correct?

Wala po.

And when you were STO of Davao City, there is no audit observation memorandum issued by the Commission on Audit against then Mayor Sara Duterte, correct?

Wala po.

There is likewise no notice of suspension issued by the Commission on Audit against you, correct? Wala. and there is no notice of suspension issued against then Mayor Sara Duterte, correct?

Wala po.

Wala rin pong notice of disallowance?

Wala po.

Laban sa inyo, wala po?

Wala po. Wala

rin pong notice of disallowance laban sa dating Mayor Sara Duterte, tama po?

Tama po, wala.

And the Commission on Audit did not reopen any audit for confidential funds of Davao City, correct?

Correct po. Your

Honor. Sorry, but I have to interject a continuing objection to this series of questions. May I state my ground?

I think I know what your ground is, counsel, but you may do so for the record.

Your Honor, magically, now this witness remembers what happened in Davao. Kanina, when the prosecution was asking her, sabi niya, Wait,

incompetent!

Put the record.

The

objection is overruled, counsel.

Counsel may proceed. And when you were STO of Davao City, it is the Joint Circular which is already in effect, correct?

Yes, po.

And you are aware of the requirements of the Joint Circular regarding your functions as the Special Dispersing Officer?

Yes, Your Honor.

You mentioned also that you were the Special Disbursing Officer of the Office of the Vice President for its Confidential Funds from Quarter 4 of 2022 until Quarter 3 of 2023. Correct?

Correct po, Your Honor.

And similar with your tasks in Davao City, you also prepared the documents for liquidation.

Opo, Your Honor.

As SDO, You were not part of any confidential operations of the agency, correct?

Yes, Your Honor. You

have no experience in confidential operations?

Wala po akong experience niyan, Your Honor. You

do not know how confidential operations are done on the ground?

Wala po akong alam niyan, Your Honor. You

have not undergone any formal training regarding confidential operations or activities?

Wala po akong training na ganyan.

You are not aware of the operational security required when it comes to confidential operations, correct?

Yes po.

Wala po kayong military background?

Wala po akong...

May law enforcement background po ba kayo?

Ano po yun? Do

you have a law enforcement background?

Wala po ako, Your Honor.

When you were STO of the OVP, you have no authority to access security information, correct?

Yes po.

Wala rin po kayong authority to access classified information.

Yes po.

You were not also given any security clearance in the OVP.

Wala.

And because you were already the STO of Davao City, you remain familiar with the Joint Circular, correct?

Familiar po a little, Your Honor.

The Joint Circular does not require you, an STO, to be personally involved in the agency's confidential operations.

That's misleading, Your Honor. It's clearly in the Joint Circular that that's the job. That's

the job of an SDO, to disperse confidential funds.

Your Honor, the prosecution also inquired as to the contents of the Joint Circular. I'm examining the witness, Your Honor, if there is such a provision.

The

question is misleading.

A witness may answer as she knows. I'll allow it, counsel.

Gina, kindly

answer the question.

The Joint Circular does not require you, an SDO, to be personally involved in the agency's confidential operations. On the ground.

Wala pong sinabi ang Joint Circular, Your Honor.

Wala rin po bang sinabi sa Joint Circular na kailangan may experience kayo pagdating sa confidential operations?

Wala din, Your Honor, sa akong pagka-understand.

May nakalagay rin po ba sa Joint Circular na kailangan? May kaalaman kayo kung papaano ginagawa ang confidential activities?

Wala ko naka-encounteran na, Your Honor, sa GC.

Nire-require din po ba kayo ng Joint Circular na mag-undergo ng formal na training para sa confidential activities?

Wala, Your Honor.

Nire-require po ba kayo ng Joint Circular? na dapat ang STO merong military background?

Wala ko ka ba sana, Your Honor? Wala

rin ang law enforcement background. Wala rin ganyang requirement.

Wala, Your Honor.

Nirequire ba ng Joint Circular na ang isang special disbursing officer kailangan may authority to access security information?

Wala, Your Honor.

Nirequire din po ba ng Joint Circular na ang STO kailangan may security clearance?

Wala, Your Honor.

Inerequire din po ba ng Joint Circular na pinagbabawal kayo mag-rely sa documents provided by a security officer?

Ano yun, Your Honor?

May pagbabawal po ba sa Joint Circular na bawal mag-rely sa documents na pinaprovide ng security officer?

Wala, Your Honor. The

requirement of the Joint Circular is that a special disbursing officer must be a regular or permanent employee of the agency, correct?

Opo, Your Honor. And

you are a regular and permanent employee of the office of the Vice President. Tama po ba?

Tama po, Your Honor. Katerminos po, Your Honor.

And the Joint Circular provides that it is the SO who must have access to security information. Tama po?

Tama po, Your Honor. At

ito rin po ba ang dahilan kaya ang SO, ang security officer ang kailangan mag-implement ng confidential operations ng ahensya?

Sa ako ang pagsabot sa GC, Your Honor. At

ang security officer po ang nag-designate dito ang head of agency, tama?

Yes, ang head of agency, Your Honor.

Yun din po ba ang dahilan kaya kinailangan nyo ang inputs o guidance ng security officer? in preparing the physical and financial plan?

Yes, Your Honor, kasi wala po akong alam sa mga operations sa ground.

The OVP submitted a physical and financial plan to the Department of Budget and Management, correct? For 2022?

Are

you aware?

Nagsubmit po ang OVP ng physical and financial plan nag-require po sa DBM.

Ito pong physical and financial plan is in support of the OVP's request for confidential funds noong 2022?

Opo.

And yung the PFP which the OVP submitted to the Department of Budget and Management is also based on the good governance program of the OVP, correct?

Wala ka, ako ka-get sa question din mo, Your Honor.

Yung po bang physical and financial plan na sinubmit ng OVP sa Department of Budget and Management, nakabase rin po ba sa good governance program ng OVP?

Opo, Your Honor.

At matapos pong isubmit ang nasabing physical and financial plan, tama po ba na the Department of Budget and Management

Yes,

Your Honor.

Yes,

Your

Honor.

non-adverse witness. Totoo po sa 2019 rules nakasulat dyan in amend ng Korte Suprema na po pwedeng magtanong on cross yung isang partido so long as on any relevant matter. Pero po, Your Honor, in the 2019 rules hindi po nabago. Yung rule po that is applicable to adverse witness Nakasulat po sa rule sa adverse witness, po pwede lang mag-cross sa mga bagay na napag-usapan during redirect. Uulitin ko po, mas pinalawig ng 2019 rules yung cross-examination for ordinary witnesses, pero sa adverse witness, which we have now, hindi po pinalawig ng Supreme Court. Dapat po may relevance sa naging pag-uusap ng abogado tsaka testigo during redirect. Now, that's the point. Now, as to who approved the confidential funds, Your Honor, it was not touched upon. It was not touched upon during the direct examination. Ulitin ko, 2019 rules, pinalawin yung cross for ordinary witness pero mas istrikto pa rin yung rule applicable when it comes to adverse witness. Objection, Your Honor, that's not allowed. During cross of an adverse witness, basis, rules of court.

Your Honor, may I respond? Of

course you

may. Your Honor, my inquiry is based on the physical and financial plan for 2022, which was the subject matter of the inquiry in the examination in chief, Your Honor.

So the inquiry is necessitated to inform this honorable court of the entire picture.

For the meantime, overruled the objection, also because this has been established, but I would like to remind counsel, this has been established already by the previous witnesses' counsel, that the confidential funds was by virtue of a sorrow, and it is indeed in the document that you are referring to.

Overall, with this, may I answer? May I repeat my question, Your Honor?

The Office of the President, through the Executive Secretary, approved the Office of the Vice President request. for confidential funds. Opo,

Your Honor.

And this approval is why the OVP was allocated confidential funds for 2022. Ito po yung dahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ng confidential funds ang OVP noong taong 2022.

Opo, Your Honor.

So you also prepared the physical and financial plan for 2023. This physical and financial plan was based on the General Appropriations Act, correct? Yes po. Gaap po.

And the General Appropriations Act for 2023 allocates confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President.