Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio said informants or agents of the Office of the Vice President were given cash from confidential funds to purchase supplies, including medicines and tables and chairs.
Testifying in Duterte’s impeachment trial, Ortonio also said he did not see official receipts from these purchases.
It was the acknowledgment receipts that served as proof of the release of the funds to the informants or agents, he added.
He made the statements upon questioning by private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia, who asked about proof of the spending.
He said the explanation given to him by the OVP’s security officer was that the money was paid to the informants or agents for them to make the purchases.
Divinagracia’s line of questioning was also pursued by Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero.
“So literally, may informant, imbes na bigyan ng kung ano, binayaran ng cash para bilhin yung tables, yung chairs, yung food, yung medicine?” Escudero asked.
Ortonio confirmed that this was the information provided to him.
He was summoned as a hostile witness for the allegation that Duterte misused her confidential funds.
At a press conference, lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said there was apparent misrepresentation.
Luistro said the OVP’s acknowledgment receipts indicated that the medicines were given to the recipients, but Ortonio’s testimony was that cash was given, with the undertaking that it would be used to buy medicines.
“‘Di na natin alam kung talaga bang ibibili iyan ng gamot o hindi. What is clear here, may misrepresentation na malinaw na naganap. Ang nakasaad sa papel, ibinili ng gamot. Ang testimonya ni Mr. Ortonio, pera ang ibinigay with the undertaking na ibibili ng gamot. So which is which?” she said.