MANILA, Philippines — Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, prosecutor for the House of Representatives, on Tuesday asked the Office of the Ombudsman to look into whether actual malversation was committed by Vice President Sara Duterte and two of her aides in the disbursement of confidential funds.
Ridon made the call during a break in Day 18 of the impeachment trial of Duterte where former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta, testified as a "hostile witness" for the prosecution.
The appearance of Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, former Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group commander, is still under consideration by the prosecution.
“We also call upon the Ombudsman to investigate whether actual malversation was committed by Ms. Acosta, Mr. Lachica, and Vice President Sara Duterte regarding the use of these confidential funds,” the lawmaker said in Filipino, citing the budget hearing of the Ombudsman at the House on the same day. He asserted that testimonies presented before the Senate impeachment court has, so far, established that the irregular utilization of the confidential funds was done under the clear instructions of the vice president. Acosta last Monday disclosed that she handed over the OVP’s confidential funds to Lachica even if she knew that he was not a bonded officer. She said that she fully trusted Lachicha, having then served as the chief security officer of Duterte. “Based on the documents, they have been caught once again—that they are playing games with these documents,” Ridon said. “In my view, it is clear that these confidential funds were manipulated and treated as a source of personal gain. Ultimately, the person who bears the 'original sin' in this matter is not Gina Acosta or Lachica, but Vice President Sara Duterte, because she was the one who ordered the transfer of the P125 million from Gina Acosta to Mr. Lachica,” he added.
