Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial: 'Aliases' for Confidential Fund Recipients Emerge

MANILA, Philippines – The 22nd day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial focused on the identities of alleged recipients of confidential funds released by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd). Philippine Statistics Authority Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande testified for the prosecution and confirmed that several names listed as confidential fund payees could not be found in the agency’s civil registry records. Grande’s testimony covered the unusual or unique names of individuals who signed acknowledgment receipts used by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education to liquidate their P612.5 million in confidential funds. READ: Highlights: Day 21 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Sept. 2, 2026 In a notable development, defense counsel Justin Gular, responding to a query from Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros, acknowledged for the first time during the proceedings that the names on the acknowledgment receipts are aliases. Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo said the use of aliases could be forgivable, but described the similar signatures and handwriting on the receipts as very questionable. Presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero separately announced that the impeachment court may summon witnesses on its own should it see the need to, after Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo expressed hope that former VPSPG officials Col. Dennis Nolasco and Col. Raymund Lachica would be called despite the prosecution indicating it no longer needed them. Meanwhile, Senator Robin Padilla, a self-described ally of the Duterte family, argued in a manifestation that the immunity from suit enjoyed by the president should be extended to the vice president, citing the constitutional purpose of protecting impeachable officers from harassment and distraction. Outside the impeachment court, Malacañang assured Sara Duterte the PNP would not be used as a weapon against her, after she posted bail Saturday on three grave threats counts./dp Editor’s note: This update was generated with the aid of artificial intelligence based on Inquirer.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Cebu Daily News articles and reviewed by a human editor.