DepEd official encashed P112.5M without endorsement, says ex-LandBank manager

A former manager of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) branch serving the Department of Education (DepEd) testified Wednesday that three checks worth P37.5 million each were encashed by the agency’s special disbursing officer (SDO) in 2023 despite the absence of documents proving his designation. Nenita Camposano made the statement while testifying as a prosecution witness on the 10th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, as senator-judges sought clarification on her earlier testimony that she personally oversaw the encashment of the checks and the turnover of the cash. Senator-Judge Raffy Tulfo asked Camposano whether DepEd SDO Edward Fajarda had submitted any document to the LandBank DepEd branch proving that he was the officially designated to encash the checks. “Wala po (There was none),” Camposano answered. Camposano confirmed that Fajarda encashed three checks worth P37.5 million each, or a total of P112.5 million, at the LandBank DepEd branch in Pasig City from February to July 2023. Duterte served as DepEd secretary from June 2022 until her resignation in July 2024. “Nagpunta po doon si Mr. Fajarda na siya ‘yung payee at nag-present po siya ng identification,” she added. (Mr. Fajarda went to the bank and presented identification as the payee.) Tulfo expressed surprise, saying Fajarda should have made to present documents showing that he had been designated by Duterte, who was then DepEd secretary, as the agency's SDO. "Wala po silang nai-present sa amin (They [DepEd] did not present anything to us)," Camposano said. Tulfo cited a joint circular by the Commission on Audit (COA), the Department of Budget and Management, and other agencies, that only the head of the agency or a designated SDO is authorized to receive cash for confidential funds. "[Fajarda presented] nothing? And then you honored it at face value? He just showed a document and said, ‘I am Fajarda, I am the designated SDO.’ Just like that? And you said okay?" Tulfo asked. Camposano answered in the affirmative. "Wow, no! Under the COA circular, it should only be the head of that agency, who happens to be the VP (Vice President). Or if the VP does not want to do it herself, she could designate someone as her SDO and sign a document endorsing that person, who happens to be Fajarda," "And you are telling the court there was no such document," Tulfo added. Pressed by Tulfo on how the bank determined that Fajarda was authorized to encash such large amounts, Camposano said the checks were honored because he was named as the payee. She added that Sonya De Leon, head of DepEd’s cash division, would call the branch ahead of the withdrawals. At one point in her testimony, Camposano described Fajarda’s encashment of the checks as “unusual.”— MCG, GMA News