MANILA, Philippines — Members of the House prosecution panel on Monday tagged lawyer Michael Wesley Poa as a “central figure” in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, pointing to his former stint as education undersecretary under the latter’s watch.
In an online briefing, Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega 5th and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante said prosecutors are all geared up for POA, who is also a member of Duterte’s defense team, to invoke lawyer-client privilege when he faces the he Senate impeachment court as witness this week.
Poa’s testimony could shed light on questions left unresolved during a 2024 House inquiry into Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.
“He is a central figure, after all. So, whether Atty. Poa is considered a hostile witness or not, I believe he is one of the central figures in this impeachment and in this specific article,” Ortega said in Filipino.
Poa served as an undersecretary, chief of staff and spokesperson during Duterte’s tenure as Department of Education secretary.
He would be the third personality who have served directly under Duterte to be presented by the prosecution following former Office of the Vice President special disbursing officer Gina Acosta and Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio.
“If the prosecutors or the prosecution team requested that he be included in the roster of witnesses—even as a hostile witness—it means the team is prepared for whatever he might say or whatever he might invoke, or for the possibility that this is part of their strategy,” Ortgega said.
Abante, House Committee on Human Rights Chairman, meanwhile, said Poa is “part and parcel of the impeachment” even if he is not the one on trial.
“What we want to know is what he knows about the activities our Vice President is undertaking, particularly regarding the confidential funds,” he said.
Poa’s testimony could touch on military certifications used by DepEd in responding to Commission on Audit findings involving about P15 million in confidential fund expenditures, including activities linked to Youth Leadership Summits.
During the 2024 House inquiry, former DepEd Undersecretary Nolasco Mempin testified that he obtained the certifications at Poa’s request.
“We are now in the impeachment court, and I believe this is the proper forum to clarify these questions,” Ortega said, further stating that the lawyer could provide more information than former OVP security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, who received confidential funds from Acosta on Duterte’s instruction.
“Because I believe that, at the end of the day, Atty. Poa possesses more information than Lachica,” he added.
The prosecution is presenting evidence under Article I, which involves allegations of misuse, misappropriation and irregular liquidation of P612.5 million in confidential funds — P500 million at the OVP in December 2022 and the first three quarters of 2023, and P112.5 million at DepEd in 2023.
