The Senate impeachment court continues the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, September 2, focusing on Article I of the Articles of Impeachment, which concerns the alleged misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds.
The House prosecution team is set to present defense lawyer Atty. Michael Poa, a former chief of staff and spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd), as a witness.
Poa is expected to be questioned about his knowledge of the use, processing, and liquidation of the ₱112.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the DepEd during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary.
Trial begins
The 21st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial begins on Wednesday, September 2.
Seventeen senators serving as senator-judges attend the continuation of the proceedings.
Senator Bam Aquino leads the opening prayer, asking for clear judgment and guidance.
Michael Poa takes the witness stand
Atty. Michael Poa takes his oath before the Senate impeachment court as a witness.
Poa, who previously served as a Department of Education undersecretary, chief of staff, and spokesperson during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary, is now part of her defense team.
Prosecution presents Poa’s 13-point testimony offer
House private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. presents the 13-point offer of testimony of Atty. Michael Poa in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, focusing on his alleged role in responding to the Commission on Audit (COA) regarding the ₱112.5 million confidential funds of the Department of Education.
‘Abogadong walang alam’ remark draws objection
Defense team lead Atty. Sheila Sison objects to private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr.’s use of the phrase “abogadong walang alam” in referring to hostile witness Atty. Michael Poa.
Tolosa apologizes to Poa and says the remark was meant to describe his previous statements that he had no knowledge of the use and liquidation of confidential funds, while Sison says the prosecution could have used the more respectful term “no personal knowledge.”
Sison calls Poa testimony offer ‘just rhetoric’
Defense team lead Atty. Sheila Sison criticizes the prosecution’s 13-point offer of testimony for Atty. Michael Poa, describing it as “just rhetoric aimed to provide drama” in the impeachment proceedings.
Sison also disputes the prosecution’s characterization of Poa as one of Vice President Sara Duterte’s most trusted men and says the claim that he “answered for” the ₱112.5 million confidential funds is misleading.
Poa declared hostile witness
Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero declares Atty. Michael Poa a hostile witness.
The declaration comes as Poa takes the witness stand during the 21st day of the proceedings.
Tolosa begins direct examination of Poa
House private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. begins his direct examination of Atty. Michael Poa.
‘Objection, vague’ raised during Poa testimony
Lead defense counsel Atty. Sheila Sison objects to House private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr.’s question to Atty. Michael Poa about the scope of his duties as chief of staff at the Department of Education.
Sison argues that the use of the word “whatever” makes the question vague, but Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero overrules the objection and allows Poa to answer.
Poa confirms familiarity with COA audit memorandum
Atty. Michael Poa confirms that he is familiar with COA Audit Observation Memorandum No. 2024-015 concerning the use of ₱75 million in DepEd confidential funds for the first two quarters of 2023.
Poa also confirms that he submitted the response to the COA on April 17, 2024, but says he did not sign the liquidation reports, which were signed by SDO Edward Fajarda, Vice President Sara Duterte as head of agency, and an accountant.
Poa confirms no DepEd funds given to AFP for YLS
Atty. Michael Poa confirms that the Department of Education did not provide any funds to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the conduct of Youth Leadership Summits.
Poa agrees with House private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. that this includes confidential funds.
Trial is on recess
The 21st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial is temporarily suspended for a lunch break. The proceedings are set to resume at 12:45 p.m.
Tulfo questions direction of Poa examination
Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo questions whether the proceedings are heading in the right direction as Atty. Michael Poa is questioned about a conversation between former DepEd Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda and Rep. Suarez.
Tulfo points out that Poa’s name does not appear in the cited portion of the document, prompting him to ask, “Are we going to the right direction, or are we wasting our time here?”
Poa: ‘We have meetings to brief her’
Atty. Michael Poa says he and Vice President Sara Duterte hold meetings to brief her on information he gathers regarding the Department of Education’s Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM). Poa adds that he shared a soft copy of his response to the AOM with Duterte a day before he submitted it.
Poa says liquidation was not his responsibility
Atty. Michael Poa says handling and submitting the liquidation report for the Department of Education’s confidential funds was not part of his responsibility.
Asked about the submission of the third-quarter 2023 liquidation report, Poa says, “I wouldn’t know what they did with the liquidation report.”
Tulfo questions Poa on AFP certifications
Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo questions Atty. Michael Poa about the use of Armed Forces of the Philippines certifications to justify the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President.
Poa says he personally requested the certifications from a third party for independent verification and clarifies that Vice President Sara Duterte neither instructed him to secure nor approve them, although he informed her that the AFP certifications had been provided.
Pangilinan questions Poa on DepEd vault
Senator-judge Kiko Pangilinan questions Atty. Michael Poa about the existence of a vault at the Department of Education for securing documents related to confidential funds.
Poa says he did not see such a vault during his time at DepEd and could not confirm whether one existed, prompting Pangilinan to remark, “I think you’re a UP graduate, so I will be kind to my fellow graduate.”
Villanueva questions factual basis of AFP certifications
Senator-Judge Joel Villanueva questions Atty. Michael Poa about the factual basis for using AFP certifications to support the Department of Education’s response to the Commission on Audit.
Poa says he relied on the certifications’ reference to a “synergistic exchange of intelligence and information,” but admits he was unsure whether the documents were sufficient and hoped they would satisfy the COA.
Aquino questions Poa on YLS spending
Senator-judge Bam Aquino asks Atty. Michael Poa if he knew that the Philippine Army spent only around ₱40,000 to ₱60,000 per Youth Leadership Summit compared with the ₱15 million spent by the Department of Education.
Poa says he was unaware of the army's expenses but had seen reports about them, while explaining that the DepEd funds were intended for gathering information on areas with high recruitment and insurgency activity.
Cayetano: "Iba yung Lachica, iba yung chika lang’
Senator-judge Alan Cayetano comments on Atty. Michael Poa’s statement that Col. Raymund Dante Lachica may be able to provide answers about the operation of confidential funds at the Office of the Vice President.
Cayetano notes that other witnesses may only have partial knowledge based on what Lachica told them, saying, “Iba yung Lachica, iba yung chika lang.”
Impeachment pending new schedule in October
Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero announced the proposed changes before the official adjournment of the 21st day of the trial on Wednesday, September 2. He said the hearings are expected to begin in the morning and continue until the early evening.
Under the proposed schedule, which remains subject to confirmation next week, full-day impeachment hearings are set for October 1–2, October 5–9, and October 12–15. Full-day hearings are also being eyed for November 9 and 16, while normal programming is expected to resume on November 23.
The adjustment is intended to accommodate Senate committee deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget while allowing the impeachment proceedings to continue.
Trial ajourns
Trial was adjourned at around 3:46 p.m. Wednesday, with proceedings scheduled to resume on Monday, September 7, at 10 a.m.
