MANILA — Testimony from Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers could help fill gaps in the House prosecution’s case against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte over the alleged misuse of confidential funds, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said.

“Matatahi na ’yung buong kwento, kumbaga. Nakikita natin kung paano ginastos, saan napunta, at walang resibo, at walang additional information tungkol sa nagamit,” Ortega said during an online press briefing.

The prosecution initially sought to present three active and retired AFP officers — Col. Manaros Boransing II, Col. Magtangol Panopio and retired Maj. Gen. Adonis Bajao — over certifications submitted by the Department of Education (DepEd) in accounting for confidential funds released while Duterte was education secretary.

The prosecution later dropped Bajao as a witness after the impeachment court was unable to serve his subpoena because his address could not be established.

Boransing and Panopio remain scheduled to testify on the certifications, which figured in the House investigation into DepEd’s use of P112.5 million in confidential funds in 2023.

Ortega said their testimony could help address questions left unanswered by earlier witnesses and clarify how military personnel became involved in the transactions under scrutiny.

He said handling or distributing confidential funds was not part of the duties of military personnel assigned to protect Duterte.

“Hindi po nila trabaho ’yan kumuha ng pera at ipamudmod o ipamigay ’yung mga pera na ’yan. Hindi po part ng trabaho nila ’yan,” Ortega said.

“Ang trabaho po nila diyan is to secure ’yung kanilang Vice President. At wala po sa kahit anong papeles na meron silang awtoridad. Wala nga po sila, hindi nga bonded,” he added.

House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers said the officers’ testimony could help establish why AFP personnel became involved in transactions being examined in the impeachment trial.

“Mahalaga na maintindihan natin kung bakit ba sila nadawit, na-involve dito sa usaping impeachment,” Barbers said.

He said the prosecution also wants to determine the significance of the certifications issued by the officers and how the documents were used.

“Mahalaga na maintindihan natin ano ba ’yung kahalagahan, bigat nitong certification na ’yan, at bakit kailangang-kailangan mag-issue ng certification. Saan ba ginamit ’yan?” Barbers said.

Barbers said the testimony could also help determine whether the military personnel knowingly participated in the questioned transactions or were involved without knowing how their certifications would be used.

“Kung sila ay lalabas na ginamit sa anumang personal na layunin ng ilang mga politiko, meron dapat pananagutan. Pero kung sila ay ginamit na wala silang kinalaman, meron ding dapat pananagutan diyan,” he said.

Barbers stressed that the AFP must remain politically neutral and adhere to its constitutional mandate.

“They should remain apolitical, they should remain neutral, and they should always be loyal to the Constitution and loyal to our Philippine flag,” he said.

He said, however, that the focus of the impeachment proceedings remains Duterte’s alleged accountability for the questioned use and liquidation of confidential and intelligence funds.

“Hindi naman dapat naka-focus sa kanila ’yung usapin. Ang ini-impeach dito ang ating Pangalawang Pangulo,” Barbers said.

“Ang pinag-uusapan dito ’yung maling paggamit at maling pag-liquidate ng pera na tinatawag nating confidential and intelligence funds,” he added.