Marilyn Cahatol

Former Office of the Vice President (OVP) Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Gina Acosta answers questions from prosecution private counsel Atty. Amando Ligutan during direct examination on the 17th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on Monday, August 24, 2026. Acosta is expected to testify on matters related to her duties and responsibilities as a special disbursing officer of the OVP. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP Sara Impeachment

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178756917513020260824-senate-vp-sara-impeachment-day17-MT22.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Office of the Vice President (OVP) Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Gina Acosta answers questions from prosecution private counsel Atty. Amando Ligutan during direct examination on the 17th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on Monday, August 24, 2026. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The answers of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) former special disbursing officer were “canned” and seemed like “a broken record,” members of the prosecution panel said on Monday after concluding the presentation of their first hostile witness.</p><p>This after Gina Acosta, who was previously in charge of the OVP’s confidential funds, was confronted with various questions on the liquidation of some P500 million in confidential funds, only to repeatedly say that she turned over the sum to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, the former head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG).</p><p>“Broken record, parang plakang sira. Pag plakang sira, pag plinay mo yun, bakit nang balik,” counsel for prosecution Lorna Kapunan told reporters on the sidelines of the impeachment trial.</p><p>“Maraming tanong, iisa ang sagot. Alam namin yan. Ang mga practitioners, ang tawag namin diyan ay de kahon,” said counsel for prosecution Amando Virgil Ligutan, who was in charge of questioning Acosta.</p><p>The lawyers declined to answer if they thought that Acosta received some coaching from the opposing panel.</p><p>“Alam naming mga abogado kung ang isang testigo ay nagsasabi ng totoo o hindi,” Ligutan said.</p><p>“Siguro naman yung taumbayan rin. Without laying any value to the testimony of any particular witness, may kapasidad po ang taumbayan na malaman, maramdaman kung ang isang testigo ba nagsasabi ng totoo o hindi,” he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/24/prosecution-says-hostile-witness-appears-evasive-can-face-legal-liability-1728">&#x27;Ibang Acosta sa Senado&#x27;: Prosecution says hostile witness appears evasive, can face legal liability</a></div><p>Ligutan earlier <a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/24/prosecution-confronts-acosta-on-selective-memory-language-difficulty-1443">questioned </a>why Acosta seemed to have difficulty recalling details about her work as special disbursing officer of then-Davao Mayor Sara Duterte when it was the prosecution that has been asking questions, then allegedly knew certain details of the same post during the defense’s turn for questioning.</p><p>“Sabi mo hindi mo na maalala sa Davao… pero kanina dirediretso yung defense, tinatanong ka… Bigla mong naalala 2018-2022,” Ligutan told Acosta.</p><p>“Alam niyo po ba yung tinatawag natin yung selective memory? When propounded with similar line of questioning in Davao City, she can remember,” he said.</p><p>Acosta explained that she could remember the non-issuance of Commission on Audit memos, but not the exact amount of Duterte’s confidential funds when she was still Davao City Mayor.</p><p>Ligutan also noted Acosta’s admission that she met with one of Duterte’s lawyers two weeks ago, before she took the witness stand.</p><p>Acosta said that she merely asked Atty. Lindon Bacquel — the defense lawyer in charge of her cross examination — about Senate procedures, but insisted that she was neither fed questions nor answers.</p><p>Duterte’s camp said they have been “very careful” when interacting with individuals who have been subpoenaed to the impeachment court.</p><p>“Basically, what she mentioned she was asking what to expect during the proceedings,” said defense counsel and spokesperson Michael Poa.</p><p>“Ang sa amin, we are very careful with the witnesses. While Ms. Acosta is listed na pwede namin maging witness, we are very careful nowadays especially may subpoena na,” he said.</p><p>“Kung lumapit ang witnesses, ang masasabi lang namin ay broadstrokes, sino ang magtatanong pero as to the details, for ethical reason we are very careful about that,” he said.</p><p>Poa said that he had “no personal knowledge about what transpired”  during the prior “exchange” between Bacquel and Acosta as he was not present when it occurred.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/24/ovp-staff-member-acosta-s-testimony-raises-more-questions-for-ex-security-chief-lachica-1600">WRAP: OVP staff member Acosta’s testimony raises more questions for ex-security chief Lachica</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SLGJqB71JuY?si=JFyKGcm2CraRI0IN" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The answers of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) former special disbursing officer were “canned” and seemed like “a broken record,” members of the prosecution panel said on Monday after concluding the presentation of their first hostile witness.</p>

The answers of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) former special disbursing officer were “canned” and seemed like “a broken record,” members of the prosecution panel said on Monday after concluding the presentation of their first hostile witness.

‘Like a broken record’: Private prosecutors say public can tell if Acosta was telling the truth in Senate impeachment court

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‘Like a broken record’: Private prosecutors say public can tell if Acosta was telling the truth in Senate impeachment court

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 24, 2026 07:08 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Lorna Kapunan

Amando Virgil Ligutan

Gina Acosta

Office of the Vice President

confidential funds

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