Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon stated that Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Xylene Mae del Campo preserved her credibility despite extensive cross-examination by the defense panel regarding Vice President Sara Duterte’s use of confidential funds.
Ridon, who serves on the House prosecution team, made the assessment following the conclusion of Del Campo’s testimony on Wednesday.
“The credibility of Ms. Del Campo has not been shaken,” Ridon said.
According to Ridon, the auditor held firm on key core elements of her testimony, specifically the official guidelines covering cash advances for confidential expenses and the mandate requiring a clear link between confidential operations and claimed disbursements.
A central issue highlighted by the prosecution panel involves the transfer of cash advances to security officials, rather than maintaining custody with designated special disbursing officers (SDOs).
“The moment that there was a transfer of funds to Mr. Lachica, to Mr. Nolasco, doon po nagsimula ‘yun pong batayan kung bakit kailangan po itong ma-disallow in audit,” Ridon said.
During a 2024 House inquiry, former Office of the Vice President (OVP) SDO Gina Acosta testified that she handed over encashed confidential funds to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, former commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), following Duterte’s instructions.
Similarly, former Department of Education (DepEd) SDO Edward Fajarda previously testified to turning over withdrawn confidential cash to former VPSPG officer Col. Dennis Nolasco for distribution. Both Acosta and Fajarda have been issued fresh subpoenas to appear before the Senate impeachment court on August 17, 18, and 19.
Ridon emphasized that the defense failed to establish a direct connection between the cited surveillance operations and the actual expenditures.
“Meron silang ginagawa mga surveillance activities or confidential activities pero hindi ho maipakita ‘yung nexus doon sa, ‘okay, ginamitan namin ‘yan ng confidential funds,’” Ridon noted.
While Del Campo acknowledged that certain listed activities could fall under intelligence or surveillance operations, she maintained that supporting documents failed to prove successful information gathering or surveillance to justify payments categorized by the OVP as rewards.
Ridon pointed out that the distinction between purchasing information and granting rewards remained intact following cross-examination.
“Wala tayong debate, sabi po ng COA, doon sa purchase of information. Pero meron pong debate doon sa giving of reward,” he said. “Kasi kailangan pong maipakita doon yung actual na detalye ng pong resulta kung bakit tayo nagbibigay ng reward sa isang particular po na tao.”
The prosecution member also raised concerns regarding the allocation of confidential funds for standard security functions already covered under the official mandate of the VPSPG.
“So the question therefore is, bakit mo sasalangan ng confidential funds ‘yun?” he said.
Ridon indicated that future prosecution witnesses will address the liquidation of these funds, including insights from a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) analysis into signature similarities observed on acknowledgment receipts.