Information shared by the Department of Education with the Philippine Army for youth activities may have included students’ personal circumstances, such as teenage pregnancies and family matters, an Army colonel testified on Tuesday.

Col. Magtangol Panopio made the statement after Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian pressed him to explain a 2023 certification saying information primarily obtained from DepEd helped the Army identify areas for its Youth Leadership Summits and information campaigns.

“I assume that it came from the teachers on the ground as members of the DepEd who provided us the information on how and where to conduct the YLS,” Panopio told the impeachment court.

Asked what confidential information the Army received specifically from DepEd, Panopio qualified his answer as speculation.

“Maybe the personal circumstances like teenage pregnancies or other personal information na maging confidential because it is their personal life,” he said.

Gatchalian clarified: “So it’s about the personal life of the students?”

“Yes, that's my example only, Your Honor,” Panopio replied.

Panopio said other information exchanged with the Army concerned what was happening in communities, including terrorism, communism, drug abuse, parenting and family matters.

Gatchalian then asked how such information was used in choosing schools and communities for the Army’s youth activities. Panopio said the Army considered communities with greater needs and coordinated with local governments.

“Pinaplano po namin ’yan kung saan po may mataas na pangangailangan yung community and of course this is only in collaboration with the LGUs,” he said.

Certification used in fund liquidation

Panopio was also questioned about his 5 December 2023 certification, which DepEd later submitted to the Commission on Audit in connection with P15.54 million in confidential fund expenditures.

He said he did not know his certification would be used to support the liquidation of confidential funds until a congressional hearing in 2024.

“Medyo nagulat po kami kasi yung pong aming certification is only for the certification that we conducted the Youth Leadership Summit. Hindi po namin sine-certify anything about money or funds, Your Honor,” Panopio said.

The certification itself did not state an amount of money. It attested to the conduct of the Army’s Youth Leadership Summit and said information obtained primarily from DepEd helped identify areas for the activities.

Panopio said the certification was issued on his commander’s order and in coordination with DepEd undersecretary Nolasco Mempin.