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Former Office of the Vice President (OVP) special disbursing officer Gina Acosta said Col. Raymund Dante Lachica was the official who knew how the OVP's confidential funds were used, as she returned to the witness stand in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial.
During the 17th day of the trial on Monday, August 24, Acosta repeatedly identified Lachica, the former head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, as the person tasked with implementing the OVP's confidential activities on the ground.
Acosta said she released P125 million in confidential funds to Lachica in December 2022 because he had been designated to handle the OVP's confidential operations.
“Siya po ang may alam, siya po ang eksperto... sa pagpatupad ng mga projects or programs regarding sa operation ng confidential activities,” Acosta told the impeachment court.
Her testimony showed that the arrangement was repeated in 2023. Acosta said four P125-million tranches, or a total of P500 million, were eventually released to Lachica from December 2022 through the third quarter of 2023.
Acosta also acknowledged that Lachica was not covered by a fidelity bond when the funds were turned over to him.
A fidelity bond is intended to protect government funds handled by accountable public officers against losses arising from their official duties.
Private prosecutor Amando Ligutan questioned Acosta over the transfer of the funds to Lachica despite his being unbonded.
Acosta maintained, however, that she remained the accountable officer because she was the bonded special disbursing officer. She said this was also why she prepared the liquidation documents for the confidential funds.
“I am still the accountable person, Your Honor. That's why po, Your Honor, ako po ang gumawa ng liquidation,” Acosta said.
Acosta also testified that she did not personally witness how Lachica distributed or spent the money. She said she relied on fund utilization reports he provided in preparing the liquidation documents submitted to the Commission on Audit.
The prosecution, meanwhile, questioned the legality of turning confidential funds over to another official and argued that existing rules prohibit the transfer of such funds from one accountable officer to another.
The handling of the OVP's confidential funds is among the issues being scrutinized in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte
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Date posted: August 25, 2026 10:50 AM