Prosecution to include COA’s final disallowance of OVP’s P73-M confidential funds in impeachment case vs Sara Duterte

MANILA — The prosecution will ask the Senate impeachment court to include in its evidence the Commission on Audit’s recent ruling that upheld the disallowance of the Office of the Vice President’s P73-million confidential funds, one of the panel’s legal counsels said on Wednesday.

The COA had upheld its earlier decision to order the OVP to return P73 million in confidential funds that were supposedly spent on rewards and payments for tables, chairs, desktop computers and printers.

“We will try to reintroduce it as evidence by way of judicial notice, because the decision of the courts can take judicial notice,” counsel for prosecution Lorna Kapunan told reporters hours after the COA’s ruling was released.

“By way of manifestation, we can probably make this part of the records on confidential funds, on article 1 so it will be submitted to the sound discretion and appreciation of the senator judges,” she said.

Kapunan was the prosecution counsel who conducted direct examinations of state auditors who affirmed that the OVP failed to submit proper receipts, invoices, and other liquidation documents that would justify the millions of pesos spent on medical missions, tree planting activities, and other projects that could have been funded by the OVP’s regular budget.

“I think it’s a win for our government officials who did so much work on looking at the confidential fund submission, liquidation reports at navalidate ang findings nila… yung sinasabing used for personal effects,” Kapunan said.

“Kung hindi ka nakaliquidate ng tama, ang presumption is ginamit mo for personal use or you misused it so yun ang conclusion ng COA at navalidate sila with this final decision,” she said.

“Paalala sa vice president, isauli niyo na yung pera na yan para sa taumbayan.”

The OVP may only question the COA’s decision before the Supreme Court “if she can allege grave abuse,” Kapunan said.

“I don’t think they can make a case for grave abuse,” she said.

In a statement, the OVP said it has yet to receive a copy of the COA resolution on its motion.

It also said it has “already anticipated the possibility of this decision and has prepared to respond through the appropriate legal and institutional channels.”

The OVP added that despite the disallowance, it will continue fulfilling its mandate, which it said is to “develop and promote programs that uplift the lives of the Filipino people.”