Defense says Duterte not first vice president to receive confidential funds

Defense lawyer Michael Poa on Tuesday disputed claims that Vice President Sara Duterte was the first occupant of the Office of the Vice President to receive confidential funds, presenting a Department of Budget and Management (DBM) document that he said showed similar allocations during the administration of former vice president Jejomar Binay.

During the resumption of Duterte's impeachment trial, Poa submitted a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) dated December 2014 indicating the release of confidential funds to the Office of the Vice President while Binay was serving as vice president.

“I just wanted to put that on record because marami nang lumalabas sa social media na si VP Sara lang ang vice president na nagka-confidential funds,” Poa said.

The defense introduced the document a day after former Commission on Audit-Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office (COA-ICFAO) auditor Roderick Wamil testified that Duterte was the only vice president and Education secretary during the past three administrations whose offices received appropriations for confidential funds.

Wamil, who served with the COA-ICFAO from September 2014 to February 2024, told the impeachment court that he had only audited confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during Duterte's tenure.

Poa said the defense had only located the DBM document after Wamil's testimony and sought permission from the impeachment court to have it marked as defense evidence.

“This has not been pre-marked. We just came upon this document yesterday after the statements were made. Upon the agreement made during the pre-trial, we request that this be marked as an exhibit for the defense,” Poa said.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Poa clarified that his reference to Binay was intended solely to address what he described as inaccurate claims circulating online. He also apologized if his remarks caused offense to the former vice president's camp.

“I have to apologize if I offended anyone from VP Binay’s camp. I didn’t want to drag his name into any of this,” Poa told reporters.

“I wanted to clarify…because as you know sa socmed kahapon parang pinapalabas na si VP Sara lang ang first-ever vice president na nagkaroon ng confidential funds,” he added.