A Commission on Audit (COA) official testified Wednesday during the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, asserting that conducting confidential operations falls outside the official mandates of both the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
During the 15th day of trial proceedings, House prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan asked Xylene Mae del Campo, supervising auditor of the COA Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office, if such operations align with the regular functions of the OVP and DepEd.
“In your opinion and your professional judgment, kasama ba sa mandato ng isang Vice President ang confidential operations?” Kapunan asked during redirect examination.
“Kung based doon sa nakalagay sa mandato nila, hindi,” Del Campo replied.
The line of questioning followed cross-examination by defense lawyer Kristine Ferrer regarding how the OVP and DepEd utilized and audited their confidential funds.
Del Campo previously testified that the OVP reported spending confidential funds on tree-planting initiatives, holiday parties, appreciation events, medical missions, and other public service programs—activities the state auditor noted fall outside government guidelines governing confidential fund usage.
In response to an earlier audit observation regarding ₱612.5 million spent between December 21 and 31, 2022, the OVP had submitted a list detailing 105 such non-qualifying activities.
The House prosecution panel called Del Campo to testify on Article I of the impeachment complaint, which charges Duterte with the misuse and misappropriation of public funds.