Confidential activities are not covered by the mandates of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, according to a Commission on Audit state auditor who testified Wednesday on the 15th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

COA State Auditor Xylene Mae Del Campo of the Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office (ICFAO) made the statement when asked by private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan whether confidential operations form part of the mandate of the two agencies.

Kapunan cited the constitutional functions of the vice president, including performing executive, ceremonial and social services functions and working with public and private stakeholders to develop programs for Filipinos.

“Kasama ba sa mandato ng isang vice president ang confidential operations?” Kapunan asked.

“Kung based po sa nakalagay sa mandato nila, hindi po,” Del Campo replied.

Kapunan then asked whether confidential activities are part of the mandate of the education secretary, whose department is tasked with basic, elementary and secondary education.

“Kung based po sa mandato nila, hindi po,” Del Campo said.

Del Campo also testified that personal activities of Duterte and security-related activities of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group should not be charged to confidential funds.

Despite this, Duterte's office received confidential funds, Del Campo said.

The OVP was allocated ₱125 million in confidential funds in the fourth quarter of 2022 and ₱500 million for the first to fourth quarters of 2023. Of the 2023 allocation, ₱375 million was actually provided, she said.

The Department of Education was allocated ₱150 million in confidential funds, of which ₱112.5 million was released through cash advances, according to Del Campo.

The testimony came as the prosecution sought to establish whether the use of confidential funds by the OVP and DepEd was consistent with their respective mandates.