Former Department of Education (DepEd) Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Edward Fajarda remains on the prosecution’s witness lineup in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial despite a medical condition that postponed his testimony.
House trial spokesperson and impeachment adviser Robert Ace Barbers confirmed Fajarda’s status as prosecutors pivot toward the P112.5-million DepEd confidential fund portion under Article I.
Fajarda was originally set to testify this month, but the Senate impeachment court deferred his appearance after independent medical verification confirmed he required rest. His testimony is tentatively slated for early September.
Fajarda, alongside former DepEd official Atty. Michael Wesley Poa, previously faced scrutiny during a 2024 House inquiry regarding confidential fund disbursements under Duterte’s tenure as education secretary. Prosecutors also plan to present military officers to address liquidation reports connected to DepEd’s Youth Leadership Summit.
Barbers added that while additional witnesses remain lined up for Article I, prosecutors are continuously reviewing the schedule to present only essential testimonies.