Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense counsel Michael Wesley Poa on Wednesday confirmed that she ordered the transfer of PHP112.5 million in confidential funds of the Department of Education (DepEd) to the agency’s chief security officer.
Poa, as a prosecution hostile witness, made the statement during questioning by private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa.
Tolosa questioned the witness about the testimony of then DepEd special disbursement officer (SDO) Edward Fajarda in the hearing at the House of Representatives on the alleged misuse of confidential funds in November 2024.
Reading from the transcript of stenographic notes, Tolosa recalled that House Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez of Quezon asked Fajarda who gave the authority to entrust DepEd’s confidential funds to the department’s security officer, whom the SDO later identified as Col. Dennis Nolasco.
“Nung tinanong siya ni Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez, sino po ang nagbigay ng pahintulot o ng kapangyarihan para si Col. Nolasco ang mag-disburse ng pera? Ang sagot niya ay, ‘Your Honor, si VP Sara po,’ tama (When he was asked by Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez who gave permission or authority for Nolasco to disburse the funds, his answer was it was VP Sara, is that right)?” Tolosa asked Poa.
The prosecution counsel then asked the defense lawyers if there was need for them to go over Fajarda’s statements in detail as reflected in the stenographic notes, to which Poa responded there was no need.
“I remember something to that effect, although I am not sure about the wording, but yes, something to that effect,” Poa answered. “I think the point was made na (that) it was the Vice President who advised him to do so.”
“Hindi advise, instructed him to do so; para precise ho tayo, siya ang nagbigay ng pahintulot o kapangyarihan para si Col. Nolasco po ang mag-disburse ng pera (Not advise, instructed him to do so; so that we are precise, she gave consent or authority so that Nolasco can disburse the funds),” Tolosa clarified.
At this point, chief defense counsel Sheila Sison objected to the continued questioning of her defense colleague on Fajarda’s House testimony, reminding the prosecution that it has already requested a subpoena for the former DepEd SDO.
At the same time, Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo noted that the stenographic notes that Tolosa has been reading from showed questions asked of and statements made by Fajarda.
Presiding officer Senator Francis Escudero sustained Sison’s objection, saying, “These questions apply more to him than to Attorney Poa.”
Poa’s confirmation that the Vice President ordered the transfer of DepEd’s confidential funds to Nolasco is similar to the testimony of former Office of the Vice President SDO Gina Acosta.
Acosta has testified that it was the Vice President who ordered her to turn over PHP500 million in confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, who was then commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group. (PNA)