A Commission on Audit official told the impeachment court that Vice President Sara Z. Duterte was the only vice president and Department of Education secretary whose confidential funds he audited during his nearly 10 years with the agency’s Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office.
State auditor Roderick Wamil said he served with the COA-ICFAO from September 2014 to February 2024, a period covering the terms of former vice presidents Jejomar Binay and Leni Robredo, as well as incumbent Vice President Duterte.
“Tanging si Vice President Sara Duterte lang po ‘yung aking na-audit na may confidential fund,” Wamil said during direct examination by private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan.
Wamil explained that neither Binay nor Robredo received confidential fund appropriations during his assignment with ICFAO.
“Dahil po since nung nag-assume po ako nung 2014 sa ICFAU, wala pong naging appropriation for confidential funds si dating Vice President Binay at si dating Vice President Robredo. Tanging si Vice President Sara Duterte lang po yung nagkaroon ng appropriation for the confidential funds,” he testified.
Now assigned as an auditing leader at COA’s Pasay office, Wamil also said Duterte was the only DepEd secretary whose confidential funds he audited.
He identified former education secretaries Armin Luistro, Leonor Briones and Duterte as the officials who headed the DepEd during his assignment with the ICFAO.
According to Wamil, confidential funds were appropriated to DepEd only during Duterte’s tenure.
“Dahil siya lang po ‘yung naging DepEd Secretary na nagkaroon ng confidential funds ang DepEd,” he said.
Wamil testified that he audited ₱500 million in confidential funds released to the Office of the Vice President from the fourth quarter of 2022 through the third quarter of 2023.
He also audited ₱112.5 million in confidential funds released to the DepEd during the first three quarters of 2023.
His testimony forms part of the House prosecution’s presentation of evidence under Article I of the impeachment complaint, which alleges that Duterte misused a total of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds released to the OVP and DepEd during her tenure as vice president and education secretary.
The defense team has denied the allegations.