Geline Salac

Impeach Trial Day 18: OVP assistant chief-of-staff to testify on confidential funds

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Office of the Vice President (OVP) assistant chief-of-staff Lemuel Ortonio is set to testify Tuesday on Day 18 of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte where he may be declared a hostile witness.Ortonio’s name has surfaced in several documents regarding the confidential funds of the OVP.Impeachment presiding officer Sen. Chiz Escudero earlier questioned why Ortonio submitted excess acknowledgment receipts totaling P150,000 to the Commission on Audit.Former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta earlier testified that it was Ortonio who gave the additional funds after Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica, commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), said they needed an extra P150,000 “for security purposes.”“Basta binigyan niya ako ng P150,000,” Acosta said, adding that she did not ask Ortonio where the money came from.Former LandBank branch manager Violeta Constantino also testified Ortonio was present when she gave P125 million in cash to Acosta.Impeachment prosecutors have also requested subpoenas for Col. Manaros Boransing II, Col. Magtanggol Panopio, and Col. Adonis Bajao to appear before the impeachment court on Wednesday, Aug. 26.This, after Edward Fajarda, a former special disbursing officer of the Department of Education which Duterte previously headed, suffered a stroke and wished to excuse himself from the trial.Escudero has ordered the head of the Senate&#x27;s medical bureau to examine Fajarda, supposedly a witness for the prosecution, and validate the medical findings with his physician.

Office of the Vice President (OVP) assistant chief-of-staff Lemuel Ortonio is set to testify Tuesday on Day 18 of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte where he may be declared a hostile witness.

Office of the Vice President (OVP) assistant chief-of-staff Lemuel Ortonio is set to testify Tuesday on Day 18 of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte where he may be declared a hostile witness.