Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Focuses on Use of Confidential Funds During DepEd Tenure

The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is set to enter a new phase on Wednesday, as the prosecution team plans to call a former spokesperson to the stand. Michael Poa, who served as chief of staff and spokesperson for the Department of Education (DepEd) when Duterte was its secretary, is expected to testify regarding the disbursement of P112.5 million in confidential funds during that period. Poa, who also acts as a spokesperson for Duterte's defense panel, will be presented as a witness by the House prosecution. His testimony is anticipated to shed light on how these funds were utilized and accounted for, a key aspect of the impeachment case. It was noted that Poa has temporarily stepped down from his role as defense spokesperson to focus on his status as a witness. This move underscores the significance of his testimony in the ongoing trial. In addition to Poa, the prosecution has also requested the Senate impeachment court to issue a subpoena for Marizza Grande of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Grande is expected to be called as a witness following Poa's testimony. Both witnesses will undergo direct and cross-examinations by the prosecution and defense panels, respectively, and may also face interjections from the senator-judges. Their testimonies are crucial to Article 1 of the impeachment case, which accuses the Vice President of committing impeachable offenses through the alleged systematic misappropriation and irregular liquidation of confidential funds amounting to P500 million released to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million to the DepEd. The proceedings highlight the ongoing scrutiny over the use of public funds, particularly confidential funds, in the Philippines. The outcome of this trial could have significant implications for accountability and transparency in governance.