Agencies must prove recipients of confidential, intel funds: Law expert

Government agencies have an obligation to prove the identity and tasks of individuals who receive disbursed funds, whether these are from confidential or intelligence funds, constitutional law expert Atty. Domingo Cayosa said Tuesday. "Obligasyon ho, kahit confidential fund ‘yan, kahit intelligence fund 'yan, obligasyon pa rin ng disbursing agency na ipakita kung kanino ibibigay 'yan at sang-ayon ba 'yun sa guidelines," Cayosa, former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, told Dobol B TV. (It is the obligation of the disbursing agency, even if those are confidential or intelligence funds, to show to whom the funds will be disbursed and whether the disbursement complies with the applicable guidelines.) He added that it was the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education’s responsibility to prove that an individual received the funds and that they successfully completed a task to justify its disbursement. During the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, witness Roderick Wamil testified that several liquidation documents submitted by the OVP violated the 2015 Joint Circular. Cayosa said he finds that the circular is clear and there is no need to amend it. He said the OVP and the DepEd failed to provide supporting documents for their expenditures. “Lalong-lalo na malalaki ito at ‘yung mga pangalan ng mga sinasabing tumanggap ay kaduda-duda,” he said. (Especially since these amounts are substantial and the names of the supposed recipients are questionable.) During direct examination, private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan presented acknowledgment receipts for Mary Grace Piattos, Renan Piattos, Nova Santos, Mico Harina, Andy Lim, Gabriel Bisaya, and Alejandro Pikit, among others. Wamil said these receipts violated the circular. Meanwhile, Kapunan also made comments on some of the names, specifically Andy Lim and Alejandro Pikit. She said that if there was Andy Lim, which sounds like “ang dilim (it’s dark),” it must be because [of] “Pikit (closed eyes).” Duterte’s defense counsel Michael Poa objected, saying she was giving color to the documents. Cayosa, however, said it was “pretty obvious” that some of the names were fabricated. “Pretty obvious na mga ganyang pangalan na gawa-gawa lang.” —KG, GMA News