Colonels Manaros Boramsing II testifiying before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Photo by Joseph B. Vidal / Senate Social Media Unit
Manuel Mogato | September 1, 2026
MANILA — Two Army officers testified at the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte that they were asked to issue certifications of participation at several civil-military activities, but were later used to justify the liquidation of millions of pesos in confidential and intelligence funds in 2023.
Colonels Manaros Boramsing II and Magtanggol Panopio told the impeachment court, separately, that they only learned in October 2024 that the Army’s certifications were submitted to state auditors as proof that the secret funds were used when they attended a congressional hearing.
“The Army did not receive any money from the Department of Education, and we did not receive any confidential and intelligence information,” Boramsing said, who was then the assistant chief of staff for civil-military operations (G-7) for the Army’s 1st Infantry Division in Zamboanga.
The Army’s Central Luzon-based 7th Infantry Division civil-military commander, then Lieutenant Colonel Panopio, also testified they were coordinating with teachers on the ground, and that the information they gathered was based on open sources.
If there was any confidential information, it was about personal circumstances of students, like pregnancies. (Also read: Prosecution unveils more auditing rules violations in Vice President’s use of confidential funds)
An undersecretary at the Department of Education requested the Army’s division commanders to submit a certification on the conduct of several civil-military operations activities in 2023.
“We only certified the participation of other government agencies, but we did not certify the expenses incurred because each agency spends its own funds for the activity,” Boramsing said, adding that the Army spent on soldiers’ food, accommodation, and travel.
The education department was in charge of the venue, the schools, and the participants, normally students aged 15 and above, he added.
Boramsing’s unit conducted eight young leaders’ summits and 53 information and education campaigns in 2023, but spent the Army’s budget for the activities, which amounted to 50,000 to 60,000 pesos for each event.
Panopio’s unit held fewer events, about three youth leaders’ summits in 2023.
But prosecutors said the education department had liquidated a total of 15.5 million pesos for each of Boramsing and Panopio’s units.
It submitted the Army’s certification as proof of the success of the department’s confidential and intelligence activities for 2023.
Two other Army units - the 5th Infantry Division in northern Luzon and the 9th Infantry Division in the Bicol region gave similar certifications to liquidate similar 15.5 million pesos in confidential and intelligence funds.
The amounts were reportedly used to pay for rewards for information gathered by Duterte’s office intelligence personnel.
When Duterte was education chief from 2022 to 2024, her office got an appropriation of 112 million pesos in confidential and intelligence funds. It was separate from the department’s nearly 1 trillion pesos budget.
Duterte also got 500 million in confidential and intelligence funds as vice president.
Both Boramsing and Panopio said they did not interact with Duterte’s security officers, Colonel Dennis Nolasco or Colonel Raymond Dante Lachica, during the youth leaders’ summit and information and education campaigns.
Panopio said there was no confidential and intelligence information gathering during the events, and planning for the activities was done ahead of time.
Boramsing said the Army’s civil-military operations (CMO) activities have been conducted since 2002, and Panopio said they have been coordinating with the teachers even before Duterte was education secretary.
Panopio said his immediate reaction was surprise when he learned the certification he had issued was used as proof to liquidate millions in confidential and intelligence funds.
Duterte has been facing a Senate court to determine if she is fit to stay in her position, and subsequently bar her from seeking any public office.
Prosecutors have been trying to prove she misused 612 million in confidential and intelligence funds, presenting witnesses that said there were unusual cash withdrawals from government banks, improper liquidations, and illegal handling of the funds.
The two Army colonels further proved no special funds from Duterte’s office went to them, but millions were spent and liquidated using their certifications as proof.
