Special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta said she trusted security officer Col. Raymund Lachica with the P500 million in confidential funds because Vice President Sara Duterte designated him as the security officer, adding that she believes Duterte knows what she is doing.
Acosta made the statement when questioned over her transfer of the funds to Lachica upon Duterte’s order and her reliance on his reports that these were used properly.
She said she had no personal knowledge of how the money was spent since it was Lachica, the former head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), who implemented the confidential operations.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros noted that as the SDO, Acosta is the one accountable for the funds, which she gave to Lachica on the Vice President’s order.
Hontiveros asked Acosta if she considered it fair that she is the one who could be held liable even though the decision to withdraw the confidential funds from the bank and to give these to Lachica was made by another official.
“Alam ko po ma’am na alam po ni Vice President Sara Duterte ang ginagawa niya,” Acosta said.
She said Duterte issued an office order designating Lachica as the OVP’s security officer.
Asked by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian how she could ascertain that Lachica used the confidential funds properly, she said she had full trust in Lachica.
“Buo po ang tiwala ko kay Col. Lachica kasi unang-una, siya po ang dinesignate ni Vice President Sara na security officer of the Office of the Vice President. Siya din po ang aming commanding officer ng Vice Presidential Security Protection Group,” she said.
Gatchalian said this did not mean that Lachica could disburse the funds, but Acosta insisted that he was the one who implemented the activities under the confidential funds.
He also asked how she could ascertain that the funds did not go to Lachica’s own pockets when she had no personal knowledge of how they were used.
She said the OVP was able to come up with a liquidation report.
This report was only based on what Lachica submitted to her.
When Gatchalian said that the fund utilization report Lachica submitted could be fabricated, Acosta replied that Lachica signed it.
But Gatchalian said that even if Lachica signed the report, she should be involved as the accountable officer.
“Ang trabaho ng accountable officer ay maging accountable sa pera,” he said.