The Senate impeachment court on Wednesday declared lawyer Michael Poa a hostile witness after the House prosecution panel called him to testify in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Poa, Duterte’s former chief of staff and spokesperson at the Department of Education (DepEd), is currently part of the Vice President’s defense team.
The prosecution is questioning Poa over the alleged misuse of ₱112.5 million in confidential funds allocated to DepEd during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary from 2022 to 2024.
Among the expenditures being scrutinized is ₱15 million allegedly used to support Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Youth Leadership Summits.
Poa was previously involved in DepEd’s response to Commission on Audit (COA) findings on the agency’s confidential fund expenditures. He also requested military certifications related to the activities funded by the agency.
His testimony comes a day after Army Colonel Manaros Boransing II and Colonel Magtanggol Panopio testified that they had no personal knowledge of DepEd’s use of confidential funds. Both officers also denied that the certifications they issued were meant to attest to the agency’s spending of confidential funds.
The prosecution considers Poa a key witness because of his former position at DepEd and his involvement in matters concerning the agency’s confidential fund expenditures.
Poa temporarily stepped down as spokesperson for Duterte’s defense team ahead of his appearance as a prosecution witness, saying he wanted to observe proper decorum while testifying before the impeachment court.
His testimony forms part of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence under Article I of the impeachment case, which involves allegations of misuse and irregular utilization of confidential funds.
