Private prosecutor Atty. Amando Ligutan questioned former Office of the Vice President (OVP) Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta over what he described as possible “selective memory” during Day 17 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday, August 24.
Ligutan confronted Acosta over what he characterized as inconsistencies in her responses to questions from the prosecution and the defense, particularly concerning confidential fund transactions in Davao City.
The prosecutor pointed out that Acosta had repeatedly said she could not recall certain events from 2022 and earlier, including details involving a reported ₱460-million amount in confidential funds.
“Alam n’yo po ba ’yung tinatawag nating selective memory?” Ligutan asked Acosta, seeking a yes-or-no answer.
Ligutan explained that when he initially questioned Acosta, she said she “conveniently” could not remember certain information. However, he said Acosta appeared able to recall similar events involving confidential funds in Davao City when questioned by defense counsel.
“When I was asking questions, sabi niya, ‘Conveniently hindi ko maalala.’ But, when propounded with similar line of questioning as to events that happened in Davao City while she was SDO, she said, ‘Yes, I can remember.’ Diretsahan ’yung sagot,” Ligutan said.
Acosta defended her responses, clarifying that her inability to remember concerned the specific amount mentioned by Ligutan rather than the events themselves.
“Ang amount po na sinabi ninyo… ’yung halaga ng confidential funds ng Davao City, ’yun po, nag-concentrate ako. Ang intindi ko, ang pagsagot ko, ’yung amount po, hindi ko maalala, Your Honor,” Acosta said.
Ligutan pressed Acosta further after her cross-examination by defense lawyer Atty. Lindon C. Bacquel, noting that she had previously stated that she could not remember several details related to her tenure as Special Disbursing Officer.
The exchange centered on Acosta’s recollection of confidential fund activities during the period when she served as an SDO, including matters connected to then-Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
Acosta maintained that her answers were based on what she could specifically recall and reiterated that she could not remember the particular amount being cited by the prosecution.
The questioning came as prosecutors continued examining Acosta’s knowledge of confidential fund transactions and documentation as part of Article I of the impeachment case against Duterte.
The article accuses the Vice President of misusing a total of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the OVP and the Department of Education. Acosta, a former OVP accountable officer, has been declared a hostile witness during the proceedings.
