Abbey M.

Former Office of the Vice President (OVP) special disbursing officer Gina Acosta said Col. Raymund Dante Lachica was the official who knew how the OVP's confidential funds were used, as she returned to the witness stand in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial.

During the 17th day of the trial on Monday, August 24, Acosta repeatedly identified Lachica, the former head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, as the person tasked with implementing the OVP's confidential activities on the ground.

Acosta said she released P125 million in confidential funds to Lachica in December 2022 because he had been designated to handle the OVP's confidential operations.

“Siya po ang may alam, siya po ang eksperto… sa pagpatupad ng mga projects or programs regarding sa operation ng confidential activities,” Acosta told the impeachment court.

Her testimony showed that the arrangement was repeated in 2023. Acosta said four P125-million tranches, or a total of P500 million, were eventually released to Lachica from December 2022 through the third quarter of 2023.

Acosta also acknowledged that Lachica was not covered by a fidelity bond when the funds were turned over to him.

A fidelity bond is intended to protect government funds handled by accountable public officers against losses arising from their official duties.

Private prosecutor Amando Ligutan questioned Acosta over the transfer of the funds to Lachica despite his being unbonded.

Acosta maintained, however, that she remained the accountable officer because she was the bonded special disbursing officer. She said this was also why she prepared the liquidation documents for the confidential funds.

“I am still the accountable person, Your Honor. That's why po, Your Honor, ako po ang gumawa ng liquidation,” Acosta said.

Acosta also testified that she did not personally witness how Lachica distributed or spent the money. She said she relied on fund utilization reports he provided in preparing the liquidation documents submitted to the Commission on Audit.

The prosecution, meanwhile, questioned the legality of turning confidential funds over to another official and argued that existing rules prohibit the transfer of such funds from one accountable officer to another.

The handling of the OVP's confidential funds is among the issues being scrutinized in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte

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Five-year-old Jodiel Chloe Banawa of Alicia, Isabela emerged as one of the Philippines’ top performers at the 24th ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships in Singapore after winning six gold medals.

Banawa swept the Girls Under-6 division, taking individual gold in the standard, rapid, and blitz events. She also helped the Philippine team secure gold medals in the same three categories.

In the standard event, Banawa finished with six points in seven games and clinched the title after defeating fellow Filipino Rien Euri Villa in the final round. Her lone loss came in the third round against India’s Aditi Nambiar, but she bounced back by winning her remaining four matches.

She posted another six-point finish in the rapid event, tying fellow Filipino Elisha Romarate for the individual gold. Banawa, Romarate, and Villa later combined to win the team title.

Banawa is the daughter of International Master Joel Banawa, who also serves as her coach and heads the chess program in Alicia. She began playing chess only last year and was the youngest member of the Philippine delegation in the Singapore tournament.

The championships were held from August 7 to 17 at Our Tampines Hub.

Banawa’s six-gold performance came just two months after she swept the standard, rapid, and blitz titles in the Girls Under-8 division of the National Age Group Chess Championships in Olongapo City, where she competed against older players.

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‍MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) rejected China’s claim that Manila had committed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, saying no binding agreement requires the Philippines to withdraw the grounded Navy vessel.

AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea retired Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad accused the Chinese Embassy in Manila of attempting to “rewrite history” over the Philippine presence at Ayungin Shoal.

China has repeatedly claimed that the Philippines promised to remove the BRP Sierra Madre, which was deliberately grounded at Ayungin Shoal in 1999 and has since served as a Philippine military outpost. Manila has consistently denied that any binding commitment was made.

Trinidad also pointed to China’s actions at Panganiban Reef, or Mischief Reef, which Beijing occupied in 1995.

According to the AFP, Chinese officials initially described structures built on the reef as temporary shelters for fishermen and denied that they were intended for military use. The structures were later expanded into a large installation with military facilities.

The AFP said the situation at Ayungin Shoal is different, maintaining that the BRP Sierra Madre represents a lawful Philippine military presence in an area where the country exercises sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

The 2016 arbitral award found that Ayungin Shoal, internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal, is a low-tide elevation within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and that China’s sweeping historic-rights claims within its nine-dash line have no legal basis under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has also maintained that the provisional understanding reached by Manila and Beijing in 2024 covers rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre and does not surrender Philippine sovereignty or sovereign rights in the area.

The AFP said it will continue to protect Philippine sovereignty, uphold international law and maintain the country’s presence at Ayungin Shoal.

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‍MANILA, Philippines — Police Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano has assumed leadership of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), succeeding Police Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin, who reached mandatory retirement.

During the change of command ceremony at the NCRPO, Abrahano said his administration will focus on strengthening police visibility and ensuring faster response to incidents across Metro Manila.

He said police officers must remain ready to respond whenever the public needs assistance, stressing that accessibility and prompt action are essential to building public trust.

Abrahano previously served as regional director of Police Regional Office 10. He also headed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group from July to September 2025. PNP records from October 2025 listed him as PRO 10 director.

He also previously served as director of the PNP Aviation Security Group and as provincial director of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office.

Abrahano is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Kaagapay Class of 1996.

Aberin, meanwhile, retired on August 23 after serving as NCRPO chief. His tenure included efforts to maintain police presence in key areas and major convergence points across Metro Manila.

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MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel is preparing to call more witnesses in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with at least two OVP and Department of Education officials expected to be declared hostile witnesses.

The trial is set to resume after two consecutive hearing cancellations due to bad weather.

Prosecutors will first continue the direct examination of Gina Acosta, former special disbursing officer of the Office of the Vice President’s confidential funds. Her testimony will be followed by cross-examination from the defense team and questions from senator-judges.

Once Acosta’s testimony is completed, the prosecution is expected to call Edward Fajarda, former special disbursing officer of DepEd confidential funds, and Lemuel Ortonio, assistant secretary and assistant chief of staff of the OVP.

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, a member of the House prosecution team, said they intend to ask the impeachment court to classify OVP and DepEd personnel who worked under Duterte as hostile witnesses.

Ridon said such a designation would allow prosecutors to use a more direct line of questioning and help expedite the proceedings.

The impeachment court, however, has the authority to determine whether a witness may be treated as hostile based on evidence showing that the witness has interests adverse to the party that called them.

Acosta was the first prosecution witness to be declared hostile in the trial.

Her testimony became significant to the prosecution after she said Duterte instructed her to release P125 million in confidential funds to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, then chief security officer of the OVP.

Ridon described the testimony as one of the prosecution’s key pieces of evidence, saying it directly linked the Vice President to the release of the confidential funds.

Meanwhile, the House prosecution panel has expressed support for proposed changes to the impeachment trial schedule in an effort to speed up the proceedings.

Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said the prosecution favors moving the hearings back to the afternoon, stressing the need to avoid further delays.

Among the adjustments being considered by senators is holding the trial from 2:30 PM to 7:30 PM., instead of the current 10 AM start.

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