Sara Duterte's security certification not proof of intel fund use for info gathering, auditor says

During the impeachment trial concerning the use of confidential funds disbursed by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), a state auditor testified that a certification issued by the former security chief of Vice President Sara Duterte does not prove that the said funds were successfully used for information gathering or surveillance activities. Roderick Wamil, a state auditor and lawyer, explained to Senator-Judge and Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian why the certification issued by Colonel Raymund Lachica of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group does not make the OVP compliant with Joint Circular 2015-01, which governs the use of confidential and intelligence funds. "Since we based our findings on the wordings of the Joint Circular, we look at the causal link between the successful information gathering and surveillance activities versus the information given by the informer," Wamil stated. He added, "The Lachica certification is not enough. Because it is not shown there, Your Honor, that the result was due to the information given by the informer. That is what we want to see." Wamil is a prosecution witness for Article 1, which accuses the Vice President of committing impeachable offenses due to systematic misappropriation and irregular liquidation of confidential funds amounting to P500 million released to the OVP and P112.5 million released to the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as Education chief. This case highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in Philippine politics, particularly concerning the use of public funds. Confidential funds are inherently meant for intelligence gathering and covert operations, but their disbursement requires stringent accountability. The auditor's testimony suggests that a mere certification is insufficient and that a tangible link to concrete outcomes must be demonstrated, potentially prompting further discussions on ensuring transparency in the use of such funds in future cases.