Vice President’s cash withdrawals were ‘unusual’ — bank officers

Two retired bank officers said that that the cash withdrawals made by the Office of Vice Presidents and the Department of Education, which were both headed by Sara Duterte, were "unusual."

Violeta Constantine, the bank manager of Land Bank of the Philippines at Shaw boulevard branch who handled Vice President Sara Duterte’s transactions, testified before the Senate impeachment court on Wednesday, July 29. Screengrab from livestream.

Manuel Mogato | July 29, 2026

MANILA — Two retired bank officers testified before a Senate impeachment court that the cash withdrawals made by the Office of Vice Presidents and the Department of Education, which were both headed by Sara Duterte, in 2022 and 2023 were “unusual.”

Violeta Constantine, who was the bank manager of Land Bank of the Philippines at Shaw boulevard branch, told the court that the four quarterly cash withdrawals from December 2022 to July 2023, totalling 500 million pesos, were unusual.

“Usually large transactions to withdraw cash were made through checks” Constantino said, adding the highest amount she handled was about 20 million pesos. (Also read: Billions of pesos flowed into Vice President Duterte’s bank accounts)

“Saan Kaya gagamitin ang ganoon kalaking halaga,” she wondered when a representative of the Office of the Vice President first came to the bank branch before Christmas of 2022.

The money in 1,000 peso bundle amounting to 125 million pesos were placed in four large gym bags and carried by the staff of the Vice President. (Also read: The Senate impeachment court grants a request to subpoena the Vice President’s bank and tax records)

The same staff returned in February, April, and July 2023 to withdraw similar 125 million pesos in cash.

Constantino who worked in the bank for 32 years said it was first time she handled a cash withdrawal of 125 million pesos, describing it as “unusual.”

She did not know that the money was part of the Vice President’s confidential and intelligence fund.

Congressmen, serving as members of the prosecution panels, have been working to convict Duterte in an impeachment trial to remove her from office.

They are trying to convince the senators sitting as judges that Duterte violated the Constitution, betrayed the public trust, committed high crimes, and committed high crimes and was unfit to serve due to corruption and graft practices.

On the 10th trial day, prosecutors presented witnesses to show Duterte misused public funds by improperly disbursing 612.5 million pesos in confidential and intelligence funds.

A second retired bank officer from Land Bank’s Department of Education branch voiced similar amazement when Duterte’s department withdrew cash amounting to 37.5 million in three quarters in 2023.

The money were placed in two bags each time withdrawals were made.

Nenita Camposano said it was unusual for the education department to withdraw such an amount in cash.

Bank transactions amounting to 500,000 pesos and above are automatically reported to the Anti-Money Laundering Council as covered transactions.

Doubtful transactions whether it fall under covered transactions or not are also reported to the AMLC.

The seven cash withdrawals were part of the covered transactions, but the two bank officers said they were not suspicious or illegal because they passed through legal processes.

Senator Francis Escudero stopped Congressman Leila de Lima when she read an opening statement because she was not presenting how the prosecution intends to lay down their arguments but was offering a conclusion of the law, sustaining the objection of the defense panel.

Three more witnesses will be presented next week.