MANILA—Former Department of Education (DepEd) chief of staff Michael Wesley Poa is expected to play a key role in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte as the House prosecution prepares to question him about the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said Poa could shed light on issues that remained unresolved during the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability’s 2024 inquiry into Duterte’s alleged use of confidential funds.

“Central figure po kasi siya, eh. So hostile witness man si Atty. Poa o hindi, I believe he’s one of the central figures po sa impeachment na ito at dito po sa article na ito,” Ortega said during an online press briefing.

Poa previously served as DepEd undersecretary, chief of staff and spokesperson while Duterte was education secretary. He is now part of Duterte’s defense team in the impeachment proceedings.

The House prosecution plans to ask the Senate impeachment court to declare Poa a hostile witness when he takes the stand this week.

If the request is granted, Poa would become the third hostile witness presented by the prosecution, following former Office of the Vice President special disbursing officer Gina Acosta and Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio.

Poa may testify earlier than scheduled if two military officers expected to appear before him fail to attend the proceedings.

Ortega said the prosecution has already prepared for the possibility that Poa may invoke lawyer-client privilege because of his current role as Duterte’s counsel.

“Well, isa po ’yan sa pinaghahandaan ng prosecution,” Ortega said. “Kung hiningi ng prosecutors o ng prosecution team na maging parte po siya sa roster of witnesses, kahit na hostile witness po siya, ibig sabihin nakahanda po ’yung team para po sa kahit anong bagay na kanyang maaaring sabihin or i-invoke, or ultimately kung strategy man nila ’yon.”

Poa has said he is prepared to testify about matters concerning his time at DepEd but could invoke lawyer-client privilege on issues connected to his work as Duterte’s lawyer.

For House Committee on Human Rights Chairperson and Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., Poa is being called to testify primarily because of his knowledge as a senior DepEd official during Duterte’s tenure.

“Atty. Michael Poa is just part and parcel of the impeachment, but he is not the impeachable officer, alam naman natin ’yan, eh,” Abante said.

“Ang gusto natin malaman, ano ang alam niya tungkol sa pinagagawa ng ating Vice President, particularly sa confidential funds,” he added.

One area the prosecution is expected to explore is the use of military certifications in DepEd’s response to Commission on Audit findings involving around P15 million in confidential fund expenditures, including activities associated with Youth Leadership Summits.

During the 2024 House inquiry, former DepEd Undersecretary Nolasco Mempin said he obtained military certifications at Poa’s request while the department was preparing its response to the audit findings.

Ortega said the impeachment proceedings now provide the appropriate venue to resolve questions that were left unanswered during the earlier congressional inquiry.

“Ngayon nasa impeachment court tayo and I believe na ito po ’yung proper forum para po mabigyang-linaw ’yung mga tanong,” Ortega said.

He also said Poa could have more information relevant to the confidential fund allegations than Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, the former OVP security officer who received confidential funds from Acosta upon Duterte’s instruction.

“Dahil sa tingin ko, at the end of the day, mas marami pong information na alam si Atty. Poa kaysa po kay Lachica,” Ortega said.

The prosecution is currently presenting evidence under Article I of the impeachment complaint, which concerns allegations that Duterte misused, misappropriated and irregularly liquidated P612.5 million in confidential funds.

The amount consists of P500 million allocated to the OVP for December 2022 and the first three quarters of 2023, and P112.5 million allocated to DepEd in 2023.