No DepEd Confidential Funds Given To AFP, Poa Confirms

The military never received confidential funds from the Department of Education when DepEd was headed by Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a member of her defense team who testified as a hostile witness in her impeachment trial on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Taking the witness stand, Michael Poa said that as then education undersecretary under Duterte, he could confirm that no confidential fund was disbursed for the Youth Leadership Summits and Information Education Communication programs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Poa made the admission during direct examination by private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr.

“I confirm that,” Poa said when asked whether the AFP’s anti-insurgency and counterterrorism events received no confidential funds from DepEd.

Poa served as undersecretary and spokesman for DepEd when it was concurrently headed by Duterte from 2022 to 2024.

Records show the agency spent P112.5 million in confidential funds in 2023.

His testimony reinforced earlier statements from retired Lt. Col. Manaros Boransing II and Magtanggol Panopio that the YLS was a regular military activity not requiring confidential funds.

But Duterte used the AFP’s certifications of the program’s implementation as proof of liquidation of P15.54 million in confidential funds. The Commission on Audit later issued an audit order memorandum after its auditors flagged some violations in the joint circular on expenditures using confidential fund.

Poa also recalled the AFP officers saying that they did not know that the certifications they issued would later be used by the DepEd for confidential fund liquidation. “I remember them saying that, sir,” he told the impeachment court on Day 21 of the trial.

The prosecution then focused on why the AFP certifications were used to support DepEd’s response to an Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) concerning rewards supposedly paid to confidential informers.

Interpretation

Poa testified that his interpretation at the time was that information obtained by DepEd through the payment of rewards supposedly helped the military identify areas for its activities.

“That is just my interpretation of the certification. Whether or not that is indeed the case, I really do not have personal knowledge of it,” he admitted.

Poa confirmed that Duterte knew about the AOM but gave no specific instruction. “I informed her that that we got the AOM. I informed her and asked for permission if I can coordinate with the SDO (special disbursing officer). And she said, ‘OK,’” he said.

The SDO was Edward Fajarda, who handled the withdrawal and liquidation of P112.5 million in DepEd confidential funds released in three P37.5-million tranches during the first three quarters of 2023.

The senators also confronted Poa about his discussions with then DepEd undersecretary, retired Army major general Nolasco Mempin, about the youth leadership summit certifications issued by the military officer’s classmates to justify the liquidation of P15.54 million.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan questioned what he called glaring violations of the Joint Circular 2015-01 on confidential funds use, such as the lack of vault to secure the documentary proof of payments like acknowledgement receipts that are supposed to be sealed in an envelope.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said she found it difficult to believe Poa’s claim that he did not know about the transfer of confidential funds to former DepEd security officer Dennis Nolasco.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian asked Poa how he was able to prove the success of the alleged confidential operations, to which Poa said he had never talked to Nolasco about the field operations.

Bribery case may be dropped

The House prosecution panel, meanwhile, is considering dropping the bribery case against the Vice President in a bid to abbreviate the impeachment trial and get a verdict sooner.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua, a member of the prosecution, said the panel is mulling over it, as it does not “want a protracted” trial that could drag on to next year.

Chua said the prosecution believes it has already presented sufficient evidence in the two Articles of Impeachment – grave threats and misuse of confidential funds – and that it could already go straight to the last case which is the unexplained wealth allegation, which – he added – the public is most excited to hear about.

He said that the prosecution is aiming to finish the presentation of evidence of all Articles of Impeachment by the first or second week of October, after which the defense will start its presentation and may hopefully finish by November. – With Daphne Galvez