MANILA, Philippines – Tanging sina Vice President Sara Duterte at dating chief security officer ng Office of the Vice President ang nakakaalam sa paggastos ng P500 milyong confidential funds.
Sa kanyang testimonya sa impeachment court, sinabi ni Lemuel Ortonio, OVP assistant chied of staff na bukod kay Vice President Duterte, alam din ni Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) commander Col. Raymund Lachica kung paano ginastos ang confidential funds.
“The way I understand it, Sir, as the head of agency, I would understand that she k nows the implementation,” ayon kay Ortonio bilang tugon sa tanong ni presiding officer Francis Escudero kung may nalalaman si Duterte sa paglustay ng confidential funds.
Iginiit ni Escudero sa testigo, naunang ideneklara bilang hostile witness ng prosecution, na kung alam din ni Lachica kung paano pinondohan ang aktibidad na pinaggamitan ng confidential funds.
“Yes, sir, as the security officer,” tugon ni Ortonio.
“So, you as assistant chief of staff, and the chief of staff herself [referring to Zuleika Lopez], doesn’t know; and Colonel Lachica, who is not part of the OVP, [knows]?” tanong pa ni Escudero.
“Yes, sir,” sagot ni Ortonio.
Nangyari ang testimonya ni Ortonio sa ginanap na ika-19 na araw ng paglilitid kay Duterte sa paglulustay ng pondo ng bayan.
Sa naturang yugto ng paglilitis, minabuti ni Escudero na siya ang magtanong matapos ilarawan ni prosecution lawyer Mae Divinagracia na kung si Duterte ang natatanging matataas na opisyal ng OVP ang nakakaalam kung paano ginagamit ang confidential funds.
Pero, tinutulan ito ni Defense lawyer Kristine Ferrer sa pagsasabing misleading ang katanungan at walang laman at hindi pa nakakatestigo si Lopez sa impeachment court sa confidential funds.
Tinabla ni Escudero ang argumento ni Ferrwr sa pagsasabing: “the court had taken judicial notice of the 2024 House proceedings, during which Lopez testified, and that the transcript contained statements along those lines.”
Paulit-ulit na sinabi ni Ortonio sa korte na wala siyang partisipasyon sa implementasyon, disbursement, recording o preparation ng liquidation reports para sa confidential funds.
“So if you have no personal knowledge where the funds were spent, you also do not have the knowledge if the funds were used for the OVP’s regular programs?” paglilinaw ni Escuder.
“I don’t have personal knowledge how the confidential funds were implemented,” tugon ni Ortonio.
“At all? Where it went, you don’t know? Whether it ended up right or wrong, dirty or clean, you don’t know.?” tanong ulit ni Escudero.
“I would have no personal knowledge, Sir,” ayon kay Ortonio. Ernie Reyes
