Disbursement officer points to the Vice President for approving a fund transfer to an Army colonel

A former special disbursement officer at the Office of the Vice President said that Sara Duterte had instructed her to “release” 125 million pesos in confidential and intelligence funds to a colonel.

Former special disbursement officer (SDO) at the Office of the Vice President Gina Acosta testifying as a hostile witness during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday, August 17, 2026. Photo by Joseph B. Vidal / Senate Social Media Unit

Manuel Mogato | August 17, 2026

MANILA — A former special disbursement officer (SDO) at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) told the Senate impeachment court that Sara Duterte had instructed her to “release” 125 million pesos in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) to an Army officer.

Prosecutors said the CIF fund transfer violated the state’s auditing rules because only SDO Gina Acosta is solely responsible for disbursing the funds. (Also read: Auditor flags further discrepancies on VP Duterte’s confidential fund spending)

During direct examination, Acosta agreed with the prosecutor that there was nothing in the Commission on Audit’s Joint Circular 2015-01 that authorized the transfer of the CIF funds to a security officer, Army Colonel Raymond Dante Lachica, for disbursement.

“The head of the agency instructed me to give all the 125 million pesos to Colonel Lachica,” Acosta told the court.

When asked who the head of the agency was, she answered it was Vice President Sara Duterte.

Acosta said she withdrew 125 million pesos in cash from a LandBank branch on Shaw Boulevard on December 20, 2022, the same day a check was issued for the CIF.

The money was placed in four large bags and transported back to the OVP in Mandaluyong. After picking up the cash, Acosta said she immediately called up Colonel Lachica to inform him about the CIF withdrawals.

Acosta told the Senate impeachment court she had no experience or knowledge of how intelligence operations worked, trusting Colonel Lachica, who supplied her with details of the accomplishment reports, as well as the physical and financial plans required to liquidate the CIF.

On the 16th day of the impeachment trial, the prosecution presented the first of two “hostile” witnesses to prove there was irregularity in the handling of 612 million pesos confidential and intelligence funds.

The prosecution was building a case that Sara Duterte misused the confidential and intelligence funds and was unfit to hold the position.

The prosecution has been presenting for three weeks witnesses for the second article of impeachment — two former bank managers and two state auditors — to establish the flow of CIF funds.

Last month, three National Bureau of Investigation agents who investigated the death threats made by Duterte against the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the lower house were on the witness stand.

Congressmen, serving as the panel of prosecutors, have accused Duterte of high crimes, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, grave threats, and unexplained wealth to remove her from office.

Duterte, who has declared her intention to run for president in 2028, remained the candidate to beat based on opinion polls.

But her popularity is waning, damaged by the impeachment trial.