Witness testifies Vice President did not properly spend her confidential and intelligence funds

Boxes containing receipts of Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential funds were presented at her Impeachment trial hearing on Monday, August 3, 2026. Photo by Wendell D. Alinea / Senate Social Media Unit.

Anna Mogato | August 3, 2026

MANILA — A state auditor, who used to examine Vice President Sara Duterte’s compliance with government rules on disbursing intelligence and confidential funds, found irregularities in handling millions in secret funds.

Congress appropriated a total of 612 million pesos in intelligence and confidential funds from December 2022 to September 2023 to the vice president and as education secretary. Both offices have no security functions.

Lawyer Roderick Wamil, who was the Commission on Audit (COA) representative in charge of intelligence and confidential funds, said the vice president did not submit proper reports on how the money was spent.

Worse, the vice president used the funds on medicines, tables, chairs, computers, printers, and other office equipment.

Wamil said these expenses were not allowed because the intelligence and confidential funds should be spent exclusively on information gathering and maintaining safe houses.

At the start of the fourth week of the impeachment trial, Wamil said the COA received acknowledgement receipts (AR) from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) as proof that millions of pesos of confidential funds were being spent, instead of official receipts.

Duterte’s offices had submitted fictitious names as confidential and intelligence funds, including names taken from popular snacks and a restaurant.

While confidential funds should only be used for purchasing information, renting vehicles and safehouses, and purchasing or renting equipment, Wamil said that the AR documents did not indicate if the computers, tables, and chairs bought were for confidential operations.

The Office of the Vice President received 125 million pesos in confidential funds per quarter from the fourth quarter of 2022 until the third quarter of 2023, totaling 500 million pesos. (Also read: “I delivered cash for the Vice President”)

Based on available documents, Duterte’s offices deliberately spent on non-security-related activities, such as tree planting activities, transport assistance, and funeral services.

Her office also spent about 40 million pesos on medical supplies and food aid, and another 10 million pesos for incentive pay or bonuses.

Citing the Joint Circular 2015-01, Wamil said these expenses are not allowed. Duterte’s office also failed to submit a physical and financial plan for intelligence operations. There were no clear results from the clandestine operations.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education received cash advances for the three quarters of 2023 of 37.5 million pesos each, totaling 112.5 million pesos.

Congress stopped allocating confidential and intelligence funds to Duterte’s offices in the 2024 budget after Duterte criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Later, Duterte resigned her Cabinet position but remained as vice president.

Wamil, who was assigned to the Commission on Audit - Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office from September 2014 to February 2024, said Duterte was the only vice president to have intelligence and confidential funds.

“Since I assumed office at COA-ICFAO in 2014, there were no appropriated confidential funds for former Vice Presidents [Jejomar] Binay and [Leni] Robredo,” Wamil said.

“[Vice President] Sara Duterte is also the only Education Secretary I had to audit for confidential funds, because she was the only Education Secretary since 2014 who has had confidential funds,” he added.

The Monday hearing is a continuation of the first impeachment article against Duterte, or her alleged misuse of confidential funds as the Education Secretary. (Also read: Prosecution, defense argue on subpoena of VP Duterte’s bank, tax records)

Represented by private counsel Lorna Kapunan. Lorna Kapunan presented 15 boxes filled with receipts for confidential fund records.

Last week, prosecutors presented two retired managers of a government-owned bank, LandBank of the Philippines, to prove funds from the national treasury were withdrawn in “unusual” cash amounts every quarter in 2022 and 2023.

The two retired bank managers said there was nothing suspicious and illegal in the cash withdrawals, but they claimed it was the first time they handled such huge cash withdrawals of 125 million pesos and 37.5 million pesos.

Normally, such large amounts were withdrawn through checks or transfers, not cash.

Presenting state auditors will prove to the prosecutors that Duterte betrayed the public trust, violated the constitution, and committed graft.