Army official 'surprised' his certification used to justify P15-M VP Sara's confi fund

Army Colonel Magtanggol Panopio on Tuesday said he was surprised that the certification he issued in December 2023 was used to justify the Department of Education (DepEd)'s P15.5 million confidential fund spending on Day 20 of the impeachment trial.

It was then DepEd Undersecretary Michael Poa who told lawmakers that he asked for such military certifications from then Education Undersecretary Nolasco Mempin to justify DepEd’s confidential fund expenses on rewards for informants during a House panel inquiry in October 2024.

As a result, it was Mempin who asked his subordinates for such certifications.

“Nalaman po namin iyan noong humarap kami sa Congress, noong nagkaroon po ng congressional hearing sa confidential intelligence fund ng Department of Education, Your Honor. Medyo nagulat po kami, kasi iyong certification po namin is only for the certification that we conducted the Youth Leadership Summit,” Panopio said.

(We became aware of it when we faced Congress for an inquiry on confidential and intelligence fund of the DepEd. We were slightly surprised, because our certification only stated that we conducted the Youth Leadership Summit.)

“Hindi po namin sine-certify anything about money or funds, Your Honor,” Panopio testified.

(We did not certifying anything that involves money.)

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

Before Panopio took the stand, military Colonel Maranos Boransing II also testified that the certification he issued to Poa as requested by Nolasco did not attest to the propriety of DepEd’s confidential fund spending.

“No, Maam. The certification was [for] their (DepEd) and other stakeholders' participation in the Youth Leadership Summit and the Information Education Communication Campaign,” Boransing said in response to the question of Senator judge Hontiveros if the certification was a vouch for DepEd’s proper use of its P15.5 million of confidential funds.

'In good faith'

During the October 2024 House inquiry, Poa said he asked Mempin for such military certifications “in good faith” since the Commission on Audit was asking the DepEd to respond to an audit observation memorandum (AOM) that questioned the said confidential fund spending on rewards for informants.

“To be perfectly candid, Your Honor, ang dami ko pong trabaho sa DepEd. One of them was to comply with AOM. I'm not using that as an excuse. So. kung ano pong documentation na available at that time na nasa OSEC (Office of the Secretary) or binigay sa amin, binigay sa OSEC, ‘yun fact na yun po... ‘yung impression ko na there was already coordination and information from DepEd,” Poa said.

(I have a lot of work in DepEd...I just used the documentation available in our office...I had the impression that there was already coordination and information from DepEd.) —VAL, GMA News