COA Auditor Says Sara Duterte Was the Only Vice President and Education Chief With Confidential Funds

The testimony places a comparative claim about confidential-fund use into the formal impeachment record, where it can be challenged and tested by both sides.

What the witness said

A Commission on Audit auditor testified that Sara Duterte was the only vice president and Department of Education secretary to receive confidential funds in those positions. The statement was delivered as evidence during the Senate impeachment proceedings.

Why the comparison matters

Confidential funds are lawful only within defined rules, but their use by offices without traditional intelligence or security mandates has become a major accountability issue. The witness testimony gives senators a basis for comparing Duterte’s allocations with those of prior officeholders.

What the testimony does not decide

A witness statement does not by itself prove an impeachable offense. The defense may question the comparison, the applicable rules, the purpose of the spending and whether audit findings establish personal responsibility.

What to watch next

The most important next steps are documentary evidence, cross-examination and how senator-judges connect the spending record to the constitutional standards for conviction. This report will be updated only when the proceedings produce a material new fact or ruling.