House prosecution spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong has renewed his appeal for Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to appear before the Senate Impeachment Court, stressing that the public deserves to hear her side of the story regarding the controversial utilization of millions in confidential funds.
Speaking during a press conference following nine weeks of proceedings in the impeachment trial, Alonto Adiong acknowledged that while key facts have emerged from witness testimony, critical questions remain unanswered, questions that only the Vice President herself can address.
“Parati nating sinasabi, trial niya ito. At base sa mga naging testigo, ‘yung mga inutusan niya na mag-violate na hindi sumunod sa Joint Circular, lahat sila sinasabi, hindi nila alam paano ginasta,” Alonto Adiong said. “So, that leaves only one person to explain to the public saan napunta? Bakit ‘yun ang utos niya? Saan napunta ‘yung confidential funds na ito? Kasi kung walang utos galing sa kanya, hindi sana magkakaroon ng violation ng Joint Circular,” he added.
Alonto Adiong noted that key officials directly involved in handling the funds have consistently disclaimed detailed knowledge of how the money was spent. Office of the Vice President (OVP) Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta testified that she released the P500 million in OVP confidential funds to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, former head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, and relied entirely on his reports for liquidation with the Commission on Audit without knowing how the money was used.
OVP Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio also told the impeachment court that he was unaware of how Lachica utilized the funds, stating that only Duterte and Acosta held those details. Even former Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Atty. Michael Poa, who now serves as defense counsel for the Vice President, testified that only Duterte and former DepEd Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda knew the specifics behind the disbursement of DepEd’s ₱112.5 million in confidential funds.
Given these testimonies from high-ranking aides, Alonto Adiong asserted that the burden of explanation rests squarely on the Vice President, even if attending the trial remains her legal prerogative to decline.
“I think it leaves us with no one to explain what happened to the confidential funds but the Vice President alone,” Alonto Adiong emphasized. “As a matter of ‘facing the right forum’ and showing that she has nothing to hide and is innocent, the more reason for her to clear her name by coming out and explaining what happened.”
“Saan napunta? Bakit ganito nagka-letse-letse ‘yung utilization report nila na hindi naman maipaliwanag nung mga tauhan na authorized to disburse these confidential funds,” he continued. “Wala daw silang alam. So, that leaves only the Vice President as the accountable official to explain to the public kung saan napunta ang pera.”