(UPDATE) MANILA, Philippines — A witness' testimony on the "unusual" withdrawal of P125 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) that were stashed in three to four bags bore a "striking coincidence" to the previous statements of Vice President Sara Duterte's alleged bagman, a spokesman for the prosecution at the House of Representatives said on Wednesday.
Violeta Constantino, manager of LandBank’s Shaw Boulevard branch, testified before the Senate impeachment court that the OVP withdrew the total amount in cash which was deemed uncommon for a government office to encash such a large amount instead of through checks.
She said in Filipino, however, that the bank “didn't have any doubts because we knew the transaction was legitimate.”
She said that while cash withdrawals of more than P500,000 were seen as generally “suspicious” transactions, the withdrawals went through as all required documentation were presented and the account had sufficient funds.
“It was not suspicious. All were legitimate,” Constantino said.
Meanwhile, Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano said while the OVP's withdrawal of P125 million in confidential funds may be :unusual," it not mean it's illegal.
Cayetano cited his experience in similar transactions during his term as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"So, my point is, just because it's unusual, it doesn't mean it's illegal or whatever. Am I right?" Cayetano said.
House Prosecution Spokesman Robert Ace Barbers noted the consistency and "striking coincidence" between the testimonies of Constantino and Ramil Madriaga.
"It is also remarkable that the testimony of Ramil Madriaga and that of our first witness aligned,” Barbers said in a briefing.
“So, again, there's a striking coincidence, perhaps we may call it, that this type of information was shared by our bank manager today and was also shared by Ramil Madriaga back in April when he appeared before Congress,” he added in Filipino.
