MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte herself authorized the transfer of P112.5 million in Department of Education (DepEd) confidential funds to the agency’s security chief, according to her own defense counsel Michael Wesley Poa.
Poa made the confirmation Wednesday while being questioned as a hostile witness by private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa.
The exchange centered on the testimony of former DepEd special disbursement officer Edward Fajarda before the House of Representatives in November 2024 during an inquiry into the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Tolosa read portions of the stenographic transcript in which then-House Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez of Quezon asked Fajarda who authorized Col. Dennis Nolasco to handle and disburse the confidential funds.
Fajarda had identified Duterte as the official who gave the authority, Tolosa said.
Asked whether he agreed with that account, Poa said he remembered Fajarda making a similar statement, although he was uncertain of the exact wording.
Poa initially characterized Duterte’s role as advising Fajarda to turn over the funds.
Tolosa immediately corrected him, stressing that the testimony indicated Duterte had instructed, rather than merely advised, Fajarda to give Nolasco the authority to disburse the money.
The line of questioning was cut short after defense lawyer Sheila Sison objected. She pointed out that the prosecution had already moved to subpoena Fajarda, who would be in a better position to testify about his own statements.
Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo likewise noted that the transcript contained Fajarda’s questions and answers.
Presiding Senator Francis Escudero sustained the objection, saying the questions were more properly directed at Fajarda than at Poa.
The testimony puts Poa’s statement in line with another account involving confidential funds.
Former Office of the Vice President special disbursement officer Gina Acosta previously testified that Duterte ordered her to transfer P500 million in OVP confidential funds to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, who at the time headed the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group.