Vice Pres. Sara Duterte held a press conference at OVP Central Office, Mandaluyong City on Feb. 18, 2026. In the same briefing, she announced her presidential bid for 2028. Screen grabbed from Inday Sara Duterte livestream.
The Department of Education (DepEd) failed to identify specific confidential activities and submit complete supporting documents for several secret fund transactions, former Commission on Audit auditor Roderick Wamil testified Tuesday before the Senate impeachment court.
Wamil said DepEd’s physical and financial plans contained broad objectives but did not specify the confidential operations that would justify the reported disbursements.
One plan listed a counterinsurgency program intended to prevent the recruitment of teachers and learners by the New People’s Army and other communist or leftist groups.
The department allocated Php 9.375 million for the activity during the first quarter of 2023. Wamil said DepEd submitted no documents identifying the teachers, learners or groups covered by the program.
Another entry referred to intensified background investigations of DepEd personnel and learners allegedly involved in terrorist groups. Asked what evidence the department submitted to show that the activity had been conducted, Wamil replied, “Wala po silang isinubmit.”
He said the same observation applied to succeeding quarters.
Wamil also said DepEd failed to submit documentary evidence of payments for confidential expenses covered by an Audit Observation Memorandum.
The department’s reward payments were not supported by records showing that information-gathering or surveillance activities had produced successful results, as required under Joint Circular No. 2015-01.
He further testified that DepEd reported expenses for medical and food assistance and travel-related incentives, which he said were outside the circular’s list of allowable confidential fund uses.
Wamil also flagged the approval of DepEd’s confidential fund cash advances by then Finance Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla instead of the agency head. He said the joint circular placed responsibility for approving the advances on the head of the agency, who at the time was Vice President Sara Duterte as education secretary.
The findings were contained in an AOM, which remained preliminary and allowed DepEd to explain the transactions or submit additional documents before COA could take further action.
