Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan appeared to poke fun at the unusual names signed on acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for the confidential fund (CF) expenditures made by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday.
During the resumption of the trial, Kapunan went through some of the ARs for the OVP’s confidential expenditures attached to its 2022 audit report, including those bearing the names Andy Lim and Alejandro Pikit.
Kapunan said she could not initially read the names because it was ‘ang dilim’ (it’s dark) and because someone’s eyes were closed, or ‘pikit.’ ‘P-1-8-545, in the name of Andy C. Lim, for P50,000. Ah, Andy Lim, that’s why I couldn’t read it because it’s dark. If there’s an Andy Lim, maybe it’s because of Pikit?’ she said in Filipino.
Defense counsel Michael Poa objected to Kapunan’s line of questioning.
‘Objection, Your Honor. I’m sorry, but I’ve been giving leeway to opposing counsel, but I think she’s been coloring, you know, the contents of the documents more than what is shown in the documentary (evidence),’ Poa said.
Kapunan countered, saying she was merely stating the Filipino meaning of the names mentioned.
Poa fired back: ‘No, I think you know my point, Your Honor.’
Kapunan joked again.
‘It’s like Patty Ting, it’s the way it’s spelled, and the next one, maybe you will object again; it’s Alejandro A. Pikit. I was going to say maybe the reason why it’s dark is because someone’s eyes are closed,’ she said in Filipino.
Presiding Officer Francis Escudero asked Kapunan to move forward ‘accordingly.’
Kapunan’s questioning brought a light moment to the 11th day of the impeachment trial, but the prosecution also flagged serious issues with the OVP’s ARs.
Aside from Andy Lim and Alejandro Pikit, the name Mary Grace Piattos also surfaced. Lawmakers previously believed Piattos was a fictitious personality who used the names of a well-known coffee shop and potato chip brand.
It seems Piattos has a relative who also received CF payouts from the OVP, although their surnames differ slightly. Kapunan also presented an AR signed by a certain Renan Piatos.
‘I will show you another document, marked for the prosecution, P-1-8-619, another Piatos, named Renan Piatos. The amount is P110,000 and the date is 12-27-2023 […] What observation can you make or have you made as regards this acknowledgment receipt?’ Kapunan asked prosecution witness and Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Roderick Wamil.
Wamil explained the AR signed by Renan Piatos was not allowed because the document showed the payment was made on Dec. 27, 2023. Since the ARs were attached to the OVP’s confidential expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2022, Wamil said the payment should have been made between Dec. 21 and Dec. 31, 2022.
‘I cannot determine the correct date based on this document, but the right thing was that it should have been paid within the coverage of their cash advance based on the documents submitted to ICFAO (Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office),’ he added.
Escudero clarified with Wamil whether he meant that everything attached to the CF expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2022 that was supposedly paid after Dec. 31, 2022, was not allowed.
Wamil then confirmed this before Kapunan presented more ARs with unusual names.
Regarding Mary Grace Piattos, Wamil said the P70,000 worth of medicines provided by the OVP as a reward was not allowed because there was no attached document evidencing success in information-gathering.
According to Wamil, the payments to Andy Lim and Alejandro Pikit were also not allowed because they were made outside the cash advance coverage, similar to Renan Piatos’ case.
The following AR recipients and their corresponding rewards and issues were also mentioned:
Nova Santos (P85,000) – lack of document evidencing success in information-gathering
Mico Harina (P295,000) – lack of document evidencing success in information-gathering/payment outside coverage of cash advance
Janice Marie Revilla (P70,000) – no observation
Patty Ting (P150,000) – no observation
Feonna Biong (P80,000) – no observation
Sisfrunio Balsac (P70,000) – no observation
Gabriel Bisaya (P70,000) – payment outside coverage of cash advance
Early on the 11th day of the trial, Wamil said the OVP used P40 million in CF to buy medicines, but COA disallowed the expense because it was not among the purposes specified in Joint Circular No. 2015-01, issued by the Commission on Audit, Department of Budget and Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Governance Commission for GOCCs, and Department of National Defense.
Under Joint Circular No. 2015-01, CFs may be used only for the following purposes:
Purchase of information necessary for the formulation and implementation of program, activities and projects relevant to the national security and peace and order
Rental of transport vehicle related to confidential activities
Rentals and the incidental expenses related to the maintenance of safehouses
Purchase or rental of supplies, materials and equipment for confidential operations that cannot be done through regular procedures without compromising the information gathering activity concerned
Payment of rewards to informers (non-employee of concerned government agency) subject to the following conditions
Uncover/Prevent illegal activities that pose a clear and present danger to agency personnel/property, or other facilities and resources under the agency protection, done in coordination with the appropriate law enforcement agencies
Others that may be authorized by the GAA or other special law/s