Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo challenged claims that submitting purchase receipts for items charged to confidential funds could jeopardize national security during the 13th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Tulfo raised the issue while questioning prosecution witness and former Commission on Audit (COA) state auditor Roderick Wamil regarding the COA's requirement for official receipts and sales invoices supporting confidential fund expenditures, particularly for medicines listed in the liquidation reports presented before the Senate impeachment court.
Referring to the defense's argument raised during the previous hearing, Tulfo said, "Sinabi kahapon ni Atty. Poa na binanggit niya natin yung circular... na hindi dapat banggitin yung pangalan ng mga recipient dahil for reasons of security and national security. Would it compromise sa tingin po ninyo yung security ng informant kung hihingan niyo sila ng resibo patungkol sa mga gamot na natanggap nila mula sa confidential funds?"
Wamil clarified that COA was not asking for the identities of recipients but only proof that purchases had actually been made.
"Katulad nga po nung sinabi ko during my testimony, ang hinihingi po namin ay yung proof of pagbili when it comes to the official receipt and the sales invoice po," Wamil replied.
Tulfo then cited examples of common purchases, such as maintenance medicines and antibiotics, asking whether those were the types of receipts COA required.
"Correct. Halimbawa, resibo, bumili ng maintenance or antibiotics, yung ganun klaseng resibo dapat ang hinihingi nyo," Tulfo said.
Wamil answered, "Yes po, Your Honor."
Tulfo noted that the defense had argued such documentation could pose a threat to national security.
"Pero ang sinasabi nila, yun daw ay magde-jeopardize, magkakaroon ng problema sa national security," he said.
Wamil responded that the COA circular cited by the defense had already been repealed.
"Actually, yung minention po nila na circular, which is yung 1999, is already repealed na," Wamil said.
When Tulfo pressed further, asking whether receipts for ordinary purchases such as "tsitsiriya, shampoo, o suka sa sari-sari store" would jeopardize national security if submitted to auditors, Wamil gave a direct response.
"Hindi po," the former COA auditor said.
The exchange formed part of the senator-judges' clarificatory questions as the Senate impeachment court continued hearing Article I of the Articles of Impeachment, which centers on the alleged misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds by Vice President Duterte.
