Poa: Purchase of info with confi funds doesn't guarantee success in info gathering

Defense lawyer and former education undersecretary Michael Poa testified Tuesday that purchasing information from informants using confidential funds does not guarantee success in information gathering.

"Unang-una, hindi kailangan na kapag bumili ka ng information, necessarily, 'pag nakuha mo 'yung information, it will result to success," Poa said when private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa, Jr. asked if evidence of success is required in the purchase of information as provided under Joint Circular 2015-01, which governs the use of confidential and intelligence funds.

Tolosa cut off Poa after such reply and said "That's my question (only), sir," but Poa insisted on explaining his answer and replied, "Come on, your honor. I'm trying to explain."

Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero ruled that Poa should be able to further explain his answer.

Poa then added, "Hindi rin ibig sabihin na at the time na nakuha mo 'yung information and at the time that we needed to submit evidence of success [to the Commission on Audit], necessarily, may success na kaagad."

(It does not mean that just because you already got the information and we needed to submit evidence of success, it does not necessarily mean there is already a success.)

Tolosa then asked asked Poa to confirm that it was his position that the Department of Education (DepEd) paid informants with confidential funds for information, and compliance with 2015 Joint Circular does not necessarily require evidence of success. Poa replied: "Yes, Sir."

Poa also testified that he asked for military certification from then-DepEd undersecretary and retired Colonel Nolasco Mempin to liquidate the department's P15.5 million in confidential funds, and that Mempin did not have personal knowledge on how the P15.5 million in DepEd confidential funds were spent.

Not a single peso

On Tuesday, Colonel Magtanggol Panopio and Colonel Manaros Boransing II testified that the DepEd did not provide funds for their activities, including its Youth Leadership Seminar (YLS). They attested that what they issued to the DepEd were certifications of attendance and the conduct of the activity, which they said do not relate to the use of confidential funds.

The same certifications, however, were included in the DepEd's liquidation of funds that were flagged by Commission on Audit (COA).

Tolosa told Poa, "I'm sure you agree, walang ibinigay kahit piso ang Department of Education sa AFP para maisagawa itong mga Youth Leadership Summit nila."

(I'm sure you agree, the Department of Education did not give a single peso to the AFP for the conduct of the Youth Leadership Summit.)

"Yes, sir, I confirm that," Poa replied.

Tolosa then asked in a mix of English and Filipino, "The reason why you used these (YLS) certification, your words were, 'It was on the premise that whatever activity was conducted on the ground by the military was targeted because of information received from DepEd due to those rewards given out, on the premise,' isn't that right, sir?"

"Yes sir." — VDV, GMA News