Special disbursing officer Gina Acosta told a Senate hearing she trusted Col. Raymund Lachica with P500 million in confidential funds because Vice President Sara Duterte had designated him as the Office of the Vice President’s security officer.
“I believe VP Sara knows what she’s doing,” Acosta said in response to questions about her decision to transfer the funds to Lachica, the former head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG).
Acosta defends reliance on Lachica’s reports
Acosta, who oversees the disbursement of the funds, said she had no direct knowledge of how the money was spent. She explained that Lachica, as the designated security officer, was responsible for implementing the confidential operations.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros pointed out that Acosta, as the special disbursing officer, remains accountable for the funds—even though the decision to withdraw and transfer them was made by Duterte. Hontiveros questioned whether it was fair for Acosta to bear potential liability when the orders came from higher up.
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Acosta stood by her position. She said Duterte had issued an office order formally appointing Lachica as the OVP’s security officer, which she took as sufficient justification for her trust in him.
When Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian pressed her on how she could verify the funds were used properly, Acosta said she had “full trust” in Lachica. She cited his role as both the security officer and the commanding officer of the VPSPG.
Gatchalian countered that Lachica’s designation did not automatically grant him authority to disburse the funds. Acosta maintained that Lachica was responsible for carrying out the activities funded by the confidential money.
Liquidation report based solely on Lachica’s submissions
Gatchalian also raised concerns about whether the funds could have been misused, given that Acosta had no firsthand knowledge of their expenditure. She responded that the OVP had produced a liquidation report—but it was based entirely on Lachica’s submissions.
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When Gatchalian suggested the report could be fabricated, Acosta replied that Lachica had signed it. Gatchalian argued that, as the accountable officer, Acosta should have been more involved in verifying the funds’ use.
“The job of an accountable officer is to be accountable for the money,” he said.
Acosta’s testimony left key questions unanswered, particularly about the mechanisms in place to ensure the funds were spent as intended. The Senate hearing continues, with lawmakers expected to press for more transparency in how confidential funds are managed across government offices.
