Former Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary and Chief-of-Staff Atty. Michael Poa acknowledged that compensating informants with confidential funds does not automatically ensure a successful intelligence operation.
Testifying as a hostile witness on the 21st day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial, Poa made the admission during cross-examination by House prosecution panel member Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. regarding the liquidation of DepEd’s confidential funds.
“Unang-una, hindi kailangan na kapag bumili ka ng information, necessarily, pag nakuha mo yung information, it will result to success,” Poa testified.
The line of questioning centered on Joint Circular 2015-01 issued by the Commission on Audit (COA), which governs the proper utilization and liquidation of confidential and intelligence funds.
“Hindi rin ibig sabihin na at the time na nakuha mo yung information and at the time that we needed to submit evidence of success (to COA), necessarily, may success na kaagad,” he explained.
When pressed on whether DepEd could disburse confidential funds to pay informants without being required to present immediate proof of a successful outcome under the joint circular, the former official answered in the affirmative.
Poa also disclosed during his testimony that he sought military certification through former Education Undersecretary Nolasco Mempin to facilitate the liquidation of ₱15.5 million in confidential funds. He conceded that Mempin lacked direct personal knowledge regarding how the funds were actually spent.
Poa previously served as chief of staff and undersecretary during Duterte’s directorship of DepEd.
The House prosecution panel called him to the stand to substantiate charges under Article I of the impeachment complaint, which alleges irregularities in the Vice President’s handling of confidential funds.