Nelson Morales

(From left) Only Vice President Sara Duterte and her former security chief, Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica. ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Jaehwa Bernardo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17877190412382-Composite (1) 6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="(From left) Only Vice President Sara Duterte and her former security chief, Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica. ABS-CBN News/File"/>(From left) Only Vice President Sara Duterte and her former security chief, Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica. ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — Only Vice President Sara Duterte and her former security chief, Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, knew how the confidential funds were spent, a witness in the impeachment trial of the country&#x27;s second-highest official said Wednesday.During the proceedings, which continued to hear allegations that Duterte had misused the Office of the Vice President&#x27;s (OVP) confidential funds, presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero asked whether Duterte and Lachica were the only people within the office who knew how the controversial funds were used.In asking the question to OVP Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio, Escudero noted that Lachica was also not an OVP employee. Ortonio, in response to an earlier query from Sen. Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III, said Lachica was designated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG).&quot;Base sa pagkakaalam mo, alam ba ng vice president kung paano ito ginastos?&quot; Escudero asked Ortonio, who is also Duterte&#x27;s assistant chief of staff.(Based on your knowledge, did the vice president know how the funds were spent?)&quot;The way I understand it, sir, as the head of agency, I would understand that she knows the implementation,&quot; Ortonio responded.&quot;So si Col. Lachica, alam din siyempre (So, of course, Col. Lachica also knows),&quot; Escudero remarked, with Ortonio saying, &quot;Yes sir, as the security officer.&quot;The senator asked Ortonio to confirm that since he himself didn&#x27;t know details on confidential spending, only the vice president and Col. Lachica knew how the confidential funds were spent.&quot;Yes, your Honor,&quot; Ortonio answered.Escudero&#x27;s questioning stemmed from prosecution lawyer Mae Divinagracia&#x27;s line of questioning on whether, among the OVP&#x27;s top three officials — Duterte, OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio — only Duterte knew how the funds were spent, which defense lawyer Kristine Ferrer objected to.Lopez had earlier testified before the House of Representatives that she was not aware of how the confidential funds were spent, similar to OVP&#x27;s former special disbursing officer for confidential funds Gina Acosta.Acosta earlier told the Senate impeachment court that she only disbursed the funds to Lachica, who implemented the OVP&#x27;s confidential activities.She also said she relied on documents and assurances from Lachica when verifying how the funds were used, but did not personally witness the transactions.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/24/acosta-says-she-relied-on-lachica-documents-to-verify-ovp-confidential-fund-use-1309">READ: Acosta says she relied on Lachica, documents to verify OVP confidential fund use</a></div>Lachica has said he was &quot;prepared to tell the truth&quot; on his involvement in the use of the OVP&#x27;s confidential funds.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/25/lachica-says-prepared-to-tell-truth-on-confidential-funds-1717">READ: Lachica says ‘prepared to tell truth’ on confidential funds</a></div>

Only Vice President Sara Duterte and her former security chief, Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, knew how the confidential funds were spent, a witness in the impeachment trial of the country's second-highest official said Wednesday.

Only Vice President Sara Duterte and her former security chief, Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, knew how the confidential funds were spent, a witness in the impeachment trial of the country's second-highest official said Wednesday.

Only VP Duterte, ex-security head Lachica knew how confidential funds were spent — witness

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Only VP Duterte, ex-security head Lachica knew how confidential funds were spent — witness

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 26, 2026 01:19 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Office of the Vice President

Lemuel Ortonio

Raymund Dante Lachica

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