Gina Acosta says Lachica took back receipts for P125-M confi funds

A prosecution hostile witness, Gina Acosta, on Monday told the impeachment court that she no longer had the acknowledgment receipts showing that Col. Raymund Lachica, chief security officer of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), received P125 million in confidential funds because the documents were supposedly returned to him.

Acosta, a former OVP special disbursing officer, was under direct examination by prosecution counsel Virgil Ligutan when she was asked whether she had any document proving that Lachica received the confidential funds.

“Wala po (None),” Acosta said.

Acosta explained that she merely relied on the documents given to her by the security officer.

“Nag-rely po ako kung ano mga dokumentong ibinigay sa akin ng security officer, Your Honor (I relied on whatever documents were given to me by the security officer, Your Honor)" she said.

During the 17th day of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, Acosta resumed her testimony as a hostile witness, centering on how the P125 million in confidential funds was documented and liquidated.

It focused particularly on the absence of official receipts for expenses charged to the fund and Acosta’s acknowledgment that the receipts she had received were eventually returned to Lachica.

Acosta said the documents she received included acknowledgment receipts but no official receipts.

Ligutan asked the witness: “So wala pong (So, there was no) official receipt?”

“Wala po, Your Honor (None, Your Honor)," Acosta replied.

Ligutan then questioned why Acosta did not ask for official receipts for the reported purchases of supplies and medical equipment, including medicines.

Acosta said she asked Lachica when she noticed issues with some of the acknowledgment receipts, including missing dates and names.

She said Lachica explained that the transactions involved “very sensitive information” and were confidential.

Ligutan then asked about an Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) issued by the Commission on Audit, requiring receipts for purchases of food and medical supplies.

Acosta said she replied to the AOM and also raised the matter with Lachica.

“Nag-rely po ako kay Security Officer Colonel Lachica, Your Honor. ’Yun po ang pamamaraan ko,” Acosta said. (I relied to Security Officer Colonel Lachica, Your Honor. That was my way of doing it.)

When Ligutan pressed her on whether, as special disbursing officer, it was her obligation to account for public funds, Acosta explained why she relied on Lachica’s documents and explanations.

“Kasi siya po ang may alam. Siya po ang nag-implement. Siya po ang nag-implement sa mga projects sa confidential…” she said.

(Because he was the one who knew. He was the one who implemented [them]. He was the one who implemented the confidential projects…)

Ligutan also questioned Acosta about the return of the acknowledgment receipts and described the arrangement as a “modus operandi.”

Defense counsel Atty. Lindon Bacquel objected to the characterization.

Sen. Francis Escudero, the impeachment court presiding officer, sustained the objection, noting that “modus operandi” could have a secondary meaning and suggested that Ligutan instead ask whether the practice was the standard operating procedure followed by Acosta.

Acosta then confirmed that it was their standard operating procedure.— MCG, GMA News