Senate Impeachment Court Subpoenas COA Auditor as Prosecution Labels Fund Use a Scam

The Senate impeachment court has subpoenaed Celine May Del Campo, an auditor with the Commission on Audit (COA) Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office, to testify from August 5 to 11 in the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. This follows the direct examination of state auditor Roderick Wamil, who testified on August 3 and 4 regarding the auditing of confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

During the proceedings, prosecution lawyer Lorna Kapunan questioned Wamil about the failure to properly liquidate a bulk of confidential funds. Kapunan characterized the alleged misuse of these funds as a scam, a remark that was stricken from the court record following an objection by defense counsel Michael Poa. Despite the ruling, prosecution spokesperson Representative Zia Alonto Adiong defended the phrasing, stating that the intention to abuse public funds was evident.

The trial focuses on the alleged misuse of over 612.5 million pesos in confidential funds accessed by the OVP and DepEd between the last quarter of 2022 and the first three quarters of 2023. According to testimony, the COA has issued a final ruling disallowing 73 million pesos from 2022, while a notice of disallowance for 375 million pesos from 2023 remains pending.

Reporting on the event varied by political lean. Center leaning coverage focused on the procedural aspect of the new subpoena. Center left leaning coverage emphasized the narrative strategy of the prosecution, highlighting Kapunan's use of humor and provocative language to frame the case as a matter of public accountability.