Former Office of the Vice President special disbursing officer Gina Acosta testified that Vice President Sara Duterte ordered the release of P125 million in confidential funds to her security aide, Col. Dante Lachica, in 2022.
Acosta said Lachica was tasked with implementing programs and activities related to confidential operations, despite acknowledging that the Commission on Audit’s rules did not specifically authorize the release of confidential funds to security officers.
She also admitted that the P125-million allocation had no detailed activities under the OVP’s broad “Good Governance Program.”
Acosta said she would not have released the funds without Duterte’s approval, but the Senate impeachment court later declared her a hostile witness after she expressed concern that a Duterte conviction could cost her job.
The testimony came during Day 16 of Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Source: PhilNews24 | August 18, 2026
