Panopio: Confi info from DepEd for youth activities may have 'personal circumstances'

Colonel Magtanggol Panopio, a witness presented by the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, said Tuesday the "confidential" information provided by the Department of Education (DepEd) in relation to the conduct of youth activities may have included data on teenage pregnancy and the personal life of students.

Panopio said this on the 20th day of Duterte's impeachment trial, upon the interjection of senator-judge Sherwin Gatchalian, asking him what kind of confidential information was received from the DepEd for the conduct of Youth Leadership Summit (YLC) and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities.

"I can speculate only, your Honor, maybe the personal circumstances like teenage pregnancies or other personal information na maging (that can be) confidential because it is their personal life," Panopio said.

Gatchalian clarified if such confidential information was about the personal life of the students.

"Yes, that's my example only, your Honor," Panopio answered.

READ: Who is AFP Col. Magtanggol Panopio in Duterte's impeachment trial?

According to the military official, the information from DepEd as cited on the military certification could be confidential or open-source.

"When you say na galing sa DepED (When you said that comes from DepEd), I assume that it came from teachers on the ground as members of the DepEd who provided us the information on how and where to conduct the YLS," Panopio said.

"So I think 'yung information na 'to ay masasabi natin na somehow mayroong secret, sorry, mayroong confidential or mayroon ding open-source. But based on experience, it is mixed," he added.

(So, I think we can say that parts of the information are somehow secret or confidential, or some are open-source. But based on experience, it's a mix.)

Other information that may be confidential or open, Panopio explained, included matters that were "happening in the community" like terrorism, communism, parenting, drug abuse, and other family matters.

Gatchalian further asked how the military used the confidential information, in particular, in the selection of schools for the two activities.

"Pinaplano po namin 'yan kung saan po may mataas na mga pangangailangan 'yung community. And of course, this all in collaboration with the LGUs. 'Pag may nag-request na LGUs, we would conduct the YLS in that particular area," Panopio answered.

(We are planning that based on communities that have urgent needs. And of course, this is all in collaboration with the LGUs. If there is a request from the LGUs, we would conduct the YLS in that particular area.)

— VDV, GMA News