Former Office of the Vice President (OVP) Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta was presented as the first hostile witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, as the prosecution continued its presentation of evidence concerning the alleged misuse of confidential funds in 2022 and 2023.
Prosecution counsel Atty. Amando Virgil Ligutan introduced Acosta as a hostile witness, explaining that she is not a witness favorable to the prosecution.
“The prosecution presents the first hostile witness in this impeachment trial... Ibig sabihin hindi po siya testigo pabor sa prosecution,” Ligutan said.
Before Acosta was accepted as a hostile witness, defense counsel Atty. Lindon Bacquel objected to questions regarding her previous service as Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) of Davao City, arguing that the matter was irrelevant because the confidential funds in Davao City were not part of the impeachment allegations.
“For purpose number 4 and 5, as regards the confidential funds in Davao City and the position of the witness as SDO of Davao City, we would like to object on the ground of irrelevance, your honor,” Bacquel said.
“Considering for the simple reason that the confidential funds in Davao City are not part of the allegations in the articles of impeachment…,” he added.
Ligutan, however, argued that Acosta’s previous experience was directly relevant to the case, saying it was that experience that led Duterte to bring her to the OVP.
“’Yung punto na walang relevance ‘yung naging pagsisilbi as SDO para sa confidential funds mula 2019 tsaka 2022, we beg to disagree. It is very much relevant in today’s proceedings,” Ligutan said.
“Considering that it is her experience as the SDO of Davao City, in those inclusive years, that led the Vice President to also bring her to the Office of the Vice President and do the things they did in Davao City this time, with the money of the Office of the Vice President,” he added.
Acosta currently serves as vice presidential staff officer VI at the OVP.
Meanwhile, Marivic Pareja, director of the House Legislative Information Resources Management Department, did not testify on Article I after the defense stipulated to the documents she was expected to present.
The proceedings then moved to Acosta, the impeachment trial’s first hostile witness.
