House prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon on Saturday described the testimony of former Office of the Vice President (OVP) special disbursing officer Gina Acosta on Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential funds as a ‘smoking gun’ in the impeachment trial.
“We’re very much satisfied with how Ms. Acosta answered this week. Tingin ko ’yung kanya pong testimonya ang talaga pong isa sa mga smoking gun nitong paglilitis na ito,” Ridon said during the Saturday News Forum at Quezon City.
According to the lawmaker, Acosta directly pointed to Duterte as the official who allegedly instructed her to release the ₱125 million to Lachica, who was not an organic OVP personnel.
“Directly itinuturo po niya ang Pangalawang Pangulo na nag-utos sa kanya na ibinigay po ’yung P125 million in confidential funds kay Colonel [Raymund] Lachica, na hindi organic OVP personnel,” he said.
“’Yan po ’yung pinagdedebatihan doon po sa COA notice of disallowance, bakit nila ’yun binigay sa isang non-organic OVP personnel,” he added.
He said the prosecution expects more “smoking guns” and “cannon” testimonies as it continues to present witnesses in the trial.
“I think we are expecting several smoking guns but we have to wait for the cannon,” the lawmaker said.
Acosta was the first hostile witness to testify in the impeachment trial over the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the OVP.
During Day 16 of the impeachment trial on Aug. 17, private prosecutor Atty. Amando Ligutan questioned Acosta about why she contacted Lachica after encashing the ₱125-million check.
Acosta testified before the Senate impeachment court that Duterte instructed her to transfer the money to Lachica after she withdrew the amount in cash from the Land Bank of the Philippines’ Shaw Boulevard branch on Dec. 20, 2022.
“Kasi po may instruction sa taas, sa aking head of agency, na kapag na-encash ang tseke, i-release ko po kay Sir Lachica… na dinesignate na security officer ng OVP,” Acosta said.
The impeachment court is currently tackling Article I of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, which focuses on the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds from the OVP and DepEd.
