Only Vice President Sara Duterte and her former security chief, Col. Raymund Lachica, knew how the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President were spent, a senior OVP official told the Senate impeachment court on Wednesday.

Lemuel Ortonio, OVP assistant chief of staff, said he and chief of staff Zuleika Lopez — whom he identified, along with Duterte, as the office’s three top officials — had no personal knowledge of how the funds were spent, disbursed, or liquidated.

Asked by presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero if Duterte knew how the funds were implemented, Ortonio said: “The way I understand it, as the head of agency, she knew their implementation.”

Escudero then asked how Lachica, who was not part of the OVP, knew how the confidential funds were spent.

“You as the assistant chief of staff and the chief of staff herself did not know, but Colonel Lachica who was not part of the OVP, he knew?” Escudero asked Ortonio.

“Yes, sir. As the security officer, I would assume so,” Ortonio replied.

The liquidation documents showed the money went for a range of expenses, including P40 million for medical and food assistance, P35 million for supplies, P16 million for safe houses and incidental expenses, P14 million for information, P10 million for rewards, and P10 million for incentives and travel tied to confidential operations.

Lachica not an OVP employee

Ortonio told Senator-Judge Vicente “Tito” Sotto III that Lachica was the commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group but was not employed by the OVP.

“Colonel Lachica was the group commander of the VPSPG, he was not an employee of the OVP,” Ortonio said.

He said Lachica had an order from the Armed Forces of the Philippines designating him as group commander of the OVP security unit.

Former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta had earlier testified that she released P500 million in four tranches of P125 million each to Lachica, saying that Duterte had ordered the release.

Under Joint Circular No. 2015-01, which governs confidential and intelligence funds, Item 6.1.1 states that “cash advances shall be used for specific legal purposes related to confidential funds and/or intelligence funds” and that “under no circumstance” may they be transferred from one accountable officer to another.

Trust and confidence

Sen. Risa Hontiveros pressed Ortonio separately on Duterte’s role in the approval and handling of the confidential funds.

Ortonio said that Duterte made the final sign-off on the documents submitted to the Commission on Audit and that, as the head of the agency, she bore the ultimate responsibility.

“Based on being the head of the agency, I would say so,” Ortonio said when asked if Duterte was ultimately responsible.

Hontiveros also asked Ortonio about his relationship with Duterte. He said he had known her for more than 10 years when he began working with her in 2008, when she was vice mayor of Davao City.

Asked if he was part of Duterte’s “circle of trust,” Ortonio said, “In terms of a working relationship, I would say that I have the trust and confidence of the VP in terms of doing the duties assigned to me.”

He also said Duterte may have had trust and confidence in Acosta and Lachica because of the responsibilities entrusted to them.

“Considering that he [Lachica] was the group commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, I would say that she may have had trust and confidence in him,” Ortonio said.