The House prosecution panel argued that Vice President Sara Duterte’s order made the transfer of P125 million in confidential funds illegal, according to Philstar.com. The statement came during proceedings tied to the impeachment case against her, with the panel asserting that the directive itself stripped the transaction of any legal basis.
The claim centers on testimony from a witness who said the Vice President’s security chief received the P125 million on her explicit order, as reported by Inquirer.net. The prosecution panel is using this testimony to build its case, suggesting the funds were moved outside proper channels. Philstar.com notes that the panel’s position is that the order was the decisive factor in rendering the transfer unlawful.
In a related development, the Philippine News Agency reported that the confidential fund plan tied to this amount lacked specific operational details or numerical targets, according to Acosta. That absence of clear parameters adds weight to the prosecution’s argument that the disbursement did not follow standard requirements for such funds.
The defense has pushed back on other aspects of the evidence, with Philstar.com reporting that it questioned the use of AI-generated images in the proceedings. Meanwhile, The Manila Times indicated that House prosecutors are considering calling former security officers from the Duterte administration to testify on how confidential funds were handled.
The case continues to unfold as both sides present evidence and challenge the credibility of witnesses. The next step will likely hinge on whether the panel can secure testimony from those former security officials to further substantiate its claims about the fund’s misuse.
