The Senate impeachment court resumed its 10th trial day on July 22, with Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero presiding and Senate President Win Gatchalian leading the opening prayer. Fourteen senators were present as Land Bank personnel prepared to testify on Article I of the impeachment complaint involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds. COURTESY: Senate of the Philippines/YouTube.
House prosecutors are moving closer to completing their case on Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential fund spending, with their presentation under the first impeachment article targeted to conclude by Wednesday.
Lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro earlier said five subpoenaed witnesses remained: former Department of Education special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, DepEd Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda, PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande, Police Maj. Jovelyn Magay and Commission on Audit employee Bresilio Sabaldan.
That lineup has since begun to shrink. Grande testified Monday on PSA searches involving names appearing in acknowledgment receipts submitted in connection with confidential fund liquidations and was later excused by the Senate impeachment court after completing her testimony.
At issue under Article I is the handling and liquidation of Php 612.5 million in confidential funds. Of that amount, Php 500 million was allocated to the Office of the Vice President, while Php 112.5 million went to DepEd during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary. Duterte is contesting the allegations before the impeachment court.
Attention is also expected to turn to the three Php 37.5-million confidential fund releases made by DepEd in 2023. Edward Fajarda served as special disbursing officer for those funds, but whether he will take the witness stand remains uncertain after the Senate Medical and Dental Bureau confirmed that he suffered a stroke.
Rather than require Fajarda to testify, prosecutors are exploring whether they can reach stipulations with the defense on matters his testimony was supposed to establish. Luistro said the prosecution wanted to avoid subjecting him to the demands of appearing before the court because of his medical condition.
The prosecution has already presented COA auditors, OVP and DepEd personnel, and military officers in an effort to establish the movement and accounting of the confidential funds. It has also removed several previously planned witnesses, including Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, Col. Dennis Nolasco and Ramil Madriaga, after determining that other evidence could cover the matters for which they were initially sought.
The effort to narrow the witness list forms part of a broader move to shorten the trial. Prosecutors are separately considering whether to abandon Article III, which contains bribery allegations, although they have yet to announce a final decision. Even if that article is withdrawn, the remaining impeachment charges would continue to be heard independently.