Conflict of interest vs. Atty. Poa? Sen. Raffy Tulfo, kinuwestiyon — GMA News

[0:00] Kindly situate the witness at the witness stand for the continuation of his testimony, Mr. Wamil. [0:22] Mr. Wamil, I would like to remind you that you will be continuing with your testimony [0:27] under the same oath that was administered to you the other day. [0:31] Do you understand that, sir? [0:32] Yes, sir. [0:34] Thank you. [0:34] When we adjourned, the examination of the witness by the councils for the parties were finished, [0:43] and we will now proceed with the interjections of the Senator Judges this morning. [0:51] And yesterday, we already indicated the sequence of the interjections and questions from the Senator Judges. [0:59] First to make his interjections would be Senator Rafi Tulfo. [1:05] Sir, you are recognized. You have two minutes, and you may proceed when you're ready. [1:09] Your Honor, may I be recognized, per se? [1:12] Yes. What is the pleasure of the Honorable Chua? [1:14] Your Honor, may we request the counsel for the prosecution, Attorney Capunan, be recognized. [1:21] The counsel for the panel of prosecutors, Attorney Lorna Capunan, the designated handling counsel for this witness, [1:29] may situate herself also accordingly. [1:34] Thank you, Your Honor. Same appearance. Good morning. [1:37] Good morning, Attorney Lorna. [1:38] Senator Tulfo, Rafi, you may proceed, sir. When you're ready. [1:42] You have two minutes, sir. [1:43] Huwag muna, Mr. President Officer, point of order laman muna ito. [1:47] Yes, what is your point of order, Honorable Chua? [1:49] Kasi kahapon, nabanggit na si Attorney Coa, magaling na abogado siya, [1:57] ay pumunta sa Coa, tama, para makipag-usap tungkol dun sa sinasabing audit query. [2:04] Now, hindi ko pa conflict of interest yun para siya ay mag-represent dito ngayon sa ano natin, pinag-uusapang confidential funds, [2:20] when in fact, ay siya mismo pumunta doon sa Coa office para makipag-usap sa kanila. [2:29] What do you think, Mr. President Officer? [2:31] The respondent in this case, Senator Judge Tulfo, is the Honorable Vice President, Sarah Zimmerman Duterte. [2:42] Attorney Poa, although he served under the office of the Vice President, I believe, and even under DepEd, [2:47] is not a named respondent to this case. [2:50] And in fact, he's one of the lawyers, as you can see, of the respondent. [2:58] There is no, I believe there is no conflict with respect to that given that he is not the one in trial in this case. [3:05] Okay, I rest my case, Mr. President Officer. [3:08] Ngayon, pwede nang simulan ni Anika. [3:12] Oh, yung oras. [3:13] Yes. [3:14] Mr. Witness, bukod sa OVP at sa DepEd, we're talking about confidential funds, [3:20] meron pa pa ibang ahensya ng pamalaan na inaudit niyo ang kanilang confidential funds? [3:26] Based on the GAA po, meron may mga other agencies na may allotment for confidential funds. [3:32] Kaya nga, meron kayo mga naaudit? [3:33] Yes po, Your Honor. [3:35] At dito sa mga ahensya na audit ninyo, magkapareho bang utilization nila ng confidential funds sa OVP, DepEd under BP Sara, [3:43] and those agencies na inaudit niyo? [3:45] Ang yung utilization naman po ng confidential fund ay separate and distinct for every agency [3:51] since yung kanilang utilization ay based on their mandate or operations. [3:55] Okay. [3:56] Sila ba'y gumamit ng mga aliases, gumamit ng mga pangalan, chichiria, etc.? [4:00] Para sa mga informants? [4:02] Yan po ay hindi ko na pwede. [4:07] Ang alam ko po, hindi ko po ma-determine based on the documents submitted [4:11] since hindi naman po naka-indicate doon sa kanilang submission na yung mga pangalan na nandun ay aliases or not. [4:18] Okay. [4:20] Noong April 2026, nag-issue kayo ng disallowance sa OVP and its officers [4:30] para at the same time ipinasusawali nyo yung parte ng confidential funds. [4:37] Can you repeat your question, Your Honor? [4:39] I think that was April of 2025. [4:45] Nag-issue kayo ng, pinasusawali nyo ilang parte ng confidential funds ng OVP. [4:51] I do not have personal knowledge na po about dyan since wala na po ako sa ikpaw noong February 12, 2023 po. [4:59] Okay. [4:59] Anong reason ba't pinasusawali yung parte ng confidential funds na disallowed? [5:05] What are the reasons? [5:09] Wala po akong personal knowledge about dyan since hindi naman po ako yung nag-issue ng disallowance. [5:14] Nung na-issue po yung disallowance, na-transfer na po ako to other agency of DICOA. [5:21] Okay. [5:21] I think it was April 10, 2026. [5:26] So, wala na po kayo doon. [5:27] Yes, for Your Honor. [5:30] Okay. [5:32] Sinabi kahapon ni Attorney Poa na binanggit ni ate yung circular, co-circular ng 1992, if I'm not mistaken, [5:45] na hindi dapat banggitin yung pangalan ng mga recipient dahil for reasons of security and national security. [5:55] Security ng tao ng recipients and national security. [5:59] Would it compromise sa tingin po ninyo yung security ng informant kung hinga nyo sila ng resibo patungkol sa mga gamot na natanggap nila mula sa confidential funds? [6:11] Katulad nga po nung sinabi ko during my testimony, ang hinihingi po namin ay yung purop nung pagbili when it comes to the official receipt and the sales invoice po. [6:24] Correct. [6:24] Alimbawa, resibo, bumili ng maintenance or antibiotics. [6:29] Yung ganung klaseng resibo dapat iba ang hinihingi nyo. [6:32] Yes po, Your Honor. [6:33] Pero ang sinasabi nila ay yun daw ay magdi-diopardize nang magkakaroon ng problema sa national security. [6:39] Actually, yung minention po nila na circular, which is yung 1999, is already repealed na. [6:45] Repealed na. [6:45] Opo. [6:46] Pero just the same, sa tingin nyo pa, yung pagbibili ng chichiria o dilike pagbili ng shampoo o suka sa sari-sari store, would that jeopardize the national security kapag yan ay binulugan sa inyo? [6:58] Binigang ka ng simo? [6:59] Ay, hindi po. [7:01] Thank you. [7:02] Thank you, Senator Judge Rafi Tulfo. [7:06] Next to make his interjections would be Senator Bam Aquino. [7:11] You are recognized, sir. You may proceed when you're ready. [7:14] You have two minutes. [7:15] Maraming salamat, Mr. Presiding Officer. [7:16] Attorney, good morning. [7:18] Good morning po, Senator. [7:21] So, ang common understanding ho kasi ng confidential funds ay secret, pwedeng gamitin sa kung ano-ano, hindi pwedeng i-bulgar sa publiko. [7:32] Hindi po totoo, no? Meron po talagang rules and regulations sa paggamit ng confidential funds. [7:37] Yes, for your honor. [7:38] Were you already part of the ICFAO in 2015? [7:41] Yes, for your honor. [7:42] So, yung pinakitang memo noong 1992 at itong memo na pinag-usapan natin na circa 2015, parang magkaibang magkaiba siya, no? [7:51] Yes, for your honor. [7:53] Do you know the reason why the rules changed with regard to the usage of confidential funds? [7:58] Since yung paggamit po nung confidential fund at intelligence fund ay kailangan ng strict accounting and auditing rules. [8:10] So, nagkaroon po nung circular para ma-insure na yung paggamit po ay properly accounted at hindi po magamit for personal use or misuse. [8:20] Yeah, yeah.