The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte resumes on Monday, September 7, for Day 22, with the House prosecution panel expected to present a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) official as its next witness.
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande is set to testify on records concerning the alleged “fictitious individuals” listed as recipients of confidential funds, including the widely cited name Mary Grace Piattos.
The prosecution is expected to use PSA records to establish whether the individuals named in acknowledgment receipts actually exist as part of Article I of the impeachment case involving the alleged misuse and irregular liquidation of ₱500 million in OVP confidential funds and ₱112.5 million allocated to the Department of Education.
The defense has previously said it is prepared to explain the use of aliases in confidential fund transactions.
Following Grande, the Senate impeachment court has also ordered witnesses from the Commission on Audit, DepEd, and the Philippine National Police to testify from September 7 to 9.
Day 22 of impeachment trial begins
The 22nd day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte begins today, Fifteen senators serving as senator-judges are present for the proceedings.
Senator Alan Cayetano leads the opening prayer as the session gets underway.
Fajarda unable to testify in impeachment trial
Former Department of Education (DepEd) Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda is unable to testify in the impeachment trial after suffering a stroke.
The prosecution team says it was informed of Fajarda’s condition on Sunday evening, preventing him from appearing before the Senate impeachment court.
Fajarda was expected to testify in connection with the allegations involving the use of confidential funds.
Prosecution seeks stipulation on Fajarda
The prosecution panel, led by Atty. Rey Robles, requests to stipulate several facts concerning former DepEd official Edward Fajarda after he fails to appear at the impeachment trial due to health reasons.
The panel has yet to decide whether to seek a subpoena to compel Fajarda’s appearance.
Grande takes oath as Day 22 witness
Philippine Statistics Authority Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande takes her oath before the Senate impeachment court as the witness.
Prosecution begins direct examination to Grande
House private prosecutor Atty. Mae Divinagracia begins the direct examination of Philippine Statistics Authority Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande. Prosecution and defense agree on DepEd fund stipulation
The prosecution and defense agree on a stipulation concerning confidential funds received by former security officer Col. Dennis Nolasco, following objections over the terms “turned over” and “disbursed.”
Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero proposes stating that Nolasco received the funds pursuant to the Vice President’s order, which both sides accept.
PSA verification presented in Day 22 trial
House private prosecutor Atty. Mae Divinagracia presents the Philippine Statistics Authority’s verification of names linked to the confidential funds of the OVP and DepEd during Day 22 of the impeachment trial.
The defense, meanwhile, declines to stipulate to Items 7, 11, and 12 of the prosecution’s proposed stipulations.
No PSA records found for Mary Grace Piattos
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande says there is no birth, marriage, or death record in the PSA database under the name “Mary Grace Piattos.”
Grande says the verification is conducted at the request of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.
PSA flags hundreds of names without civil records
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) finds that 398 of 677 names on the list of alleged Department of Education (DepEd) confidential fund recipients have no birth, marriage, or death records in its database.
For the Office of the Vice President (OVP), 1,287 of 1,992 names likewise have no corresponding civil records.
The findings are presented during Day 22 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
PSA official calls names ‘unusual’
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande says she finds several names on the alleged OVP confidential fund recipients list “unusual,” prompting her to conduct further verification in the PSA database.
Among the names she checks are Beverly Claire Pampano, Matthew Keso, Arthur Baon, Ralph Josh Bacon, Charles Sampaloc Jr., and Timon Pusa.
Grande says these names have no corresponding birth, marriage, or death records in the PSA database.
PSA finds no civil records for several OVP fund recipients
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande testifies that several names on the alleged OVP confidential fund recipients list have no records of birth, marriage, or death in the PSA database.
Among those reverified by Grande are Beverly Claire Pampano, Matthew Keso, Arthur Baon, Ralph Josh Bacon, Charles Sampaloc Jr., Timon Pusa, and Xiaomi Ocho.
PSA confirms death records for some OVP recipients
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande testifies that several names listed as alleged recipients of OVP confidential funds have corresponding death records in the PSA database.
These include Rodolfo Traya, Fortunato Sailig, and Emilio Sagan.
Two-month-old among alleged OVP fund recipients
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande testifies that several minors’ names appear on the list of alleged recipients of OVP confidential funds.
Among them are Miko Alquizar, Beatrice Cuenca, Mikay Delos Reyes, and Marlin Sunga.
Grande says PSA records show that Marlin Sunga was only two months old when she died in 1965, making her the youngest person verified on the list.
Tulfo questions identical signatures, handwriting
Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo questions the identical signatures and handwriting appearing on acknowledgment receipts of alleged OVP confidential fund recipients.
Tulfo says the use of aliases may be understandable to protect informants, but considers the identical signatures and handwriting “very questionable.”
He raises the possibility that the names and receipts may have been filled out by a single person.
Defense begins cross-examination of Grande
Defense counsel Atty. Justin Nicol Gular begins the cross-examination of Philippine Statistics Authority Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande.
Grande clarifies PSA records on aliases
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande says judicially approved aliases have corresponding records in the civil registry.
Grande clarifies that aliases not authorized by a court, such as pseudonyms used by celebrities, are not included in the PSA’s repository.
Aquino calls for verification of aliases
Senator-judge Bam Aquino calls for determining whether the names listed as alleged OVP confidential fund recipients are genuine names or aliases.
Aquino says it is important to establish whether there are real identities behind the names, noting that their status as aliases has yet to be proven.
Tulfo questions conclusiveness of PSA records
Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo questioned whether the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) civil registry records are conclusive in verifying the identities of alleged recipients of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds.
Tulfo cited names including Clarisse Hontiveros, Diane Maple Lapid, John A. Lapid Jr., Jose Diokno Jr., Heart Santiago, and Anne Ongpauco, and asked whether these names were also checked against the PhilSys or National ID System.
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande said the agency has not yet conducted such verification.
PSA says verification of 1,000+ names is not unusual
PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande testified that this was not the first time the agency had received a request to verify more than 1,000 names in its Civil Registry System.
Grande said several government agencies had previously submitted requests involving a similarly large number of names for verification.
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