Impeachment court subpoenas OVP, DepEd ex-SDOs Acosta, Fajarda anew

The Senate impeachment court has issued new subpoenas to two former special disbursing officers (SDO) from agencies led by Vice President Sara Duterte to testify at her impeachment trial.

Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero made the announcement since the previous subpoenas—to former Office of the Vice President (OVP) SDO Gina Acosta and Edward Fajarda, who was SDO at the Department of Education when Duterte was Education secretary—only covers trial dates from August 10 to 12.

Acosta and Fajarda are yet to take the witness stand since the questioning of state auditor Xylene Del Campo of Commission on Audit’s Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office lasted two days, August 11 and 12.

The impeachment trial was postponed on Monday, August 10, because of the heavy rainfall and flooding brought about by the southwest monsoon.

The Senate impeachment court also issued a new subpoena for House of Representatives Legislative Information Resources Management Department director Marivic Pareja for the same reason.

Acosta, Fajarda and Pareja are witnesses for the prosecution for Article 1, which accuses the Vice President of committing impeachable offenses due to systematic misappropriation, and irregular liquidation of confidential funds amounting to P500 million released to the OVP and P112.5 million released to the DepEd during her tenure as Education chief. — BM, GMA News