VP trial: DepEd may have spent own funds on youth training activities — Army official

An Army officer testified Tuesday that the Department of Education (DepEd) could have spent money of its own on youth training activities in 2023, although he could not determine whether the funds came from the agency’s confidential funds.

Philippine Army (PA) Col. Manaros Boransing II told the Senate impeachment court that his unit received no funding from DepEd for the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) and Information Education Communication (IEC) activities conducted from January to December 2023.

At the time, Boransing was assistant chief of staff for civil-military operations of the First Infantry (Tabak) Division, where he supervised and monitored the two activities that the prosecution has characterized as anti-communist recruitment initiatives. DepEd was then headed by Vice President Sara Duterte.

Presiding Officer and Sen. Francis Escudero sought to establish whether DepEd may have shouldered expenses for its own personnel who participated in the activities, despite the Army witness’s earlier statement that no money was transferred to his unit.

“Binaggit nyo po kanina na wala kayong tinaggap na pera mula sa DepEd, wala ring bingay na pera ang DepEd sa AFP o sa First Tabak o sa unit ninyo? But would you know if DepEd spent on that activity on their own people because you collaborated with Deped on that activity? Would you know? Sabi nya kanina kasi KKB (kanya-kanyang bayad) e,” Escudero asked during the impeachment trial of Duterte.

Boransing said he knew DepEd personnel were present at the youth summits but could not speak to how their expenses were funded.

“Yes sir. What I know is they arrived there. They were there during the youth leadership summits and traveling as I know in the government entails expenses and permission to leave the post,” Boransing said.

Escudero then asked whether DepEd had used confidential funds for the activities. Boransing said he had no information on the source of any DepEd spending.

The presiding officer again asked whether, despite the absence of any funding transferred to the AFP or its units, DepEd itself had spent money on the activities.

“So you can confirm that no money was given to the AFP or any of its units or anyone in your unit but that DepEd must have spent on the activities?” Escudero asked again.

Boransing reiterated that his unit did not receive any funds from DepEd.

“But it is very possible that DepEd spent on the YLS and the IECs?” Escudero pressed on.

Boransing also explained that the Army’s expenses for the YLS and IEC activities were covered by its regular budget. He said, however, that the YLS formed part of a broader campaign involving civil-military, combat and intelligence operations.

“Although I can’t comment about the intelligence operations, Sir, but they are interlink and mutually supporting so all army and AFP operations are intelligence-driven, Sir,” he further noted.

Boransing likewise agreed when Escudero raised the possibility that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) could have used intelligence funds for the YLS and IEC activities.

The witness also disclosed that he signed a certification at DepEd’s request confirming the agency’s participation in the youth summits.

Boransing, however, told the impeachment court that he was unaware that the certification could later be used by DepEd to support or justify its use of confidential funds.

-Paraluman News