Prosecution’s 8th witness presented, excused within 20 minutes
MANILA, Philippines — The prosecution’s eighth witness in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, House Archives Director Marivic Pareja, was excused by the Senate impeachment court on Monday, just 20 minutes after taking her oath.
Pareja was allowed to leave the witness stand after the defense agreed to the authenticity and regularity of the documents she was called to verify.
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The witness was called to the stand to confirm documents submitted to the House committee on good governance and public accountability by officials and employees of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) from September 18, 2024 to December 9, 2024.
The House committee had been investigating the agencies’ use of confidential funds.
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After her oath was taken, House prosecutor Rep. Lordan Suan offered that the following documents were in fact submitted to the House Archives, is in custody of the Archives headed by Pareja, and are faithfully produced for the purpose of presentation:
- Sept. 23, 2024 letter of Duterte to Rep. Joel Chua, chair of the CGGPA, where Duterte expressed that she will not attend the panel’s deliberations, along with a request to terminate the hearings
- Oct. 7, 2024 letter of OVP Chief of Staff, Zuleika Lopez to Chua, where Zuleika responded to the CGGPA’s show-cause order to explain failure to attend or respond to an invitation from the panel
- Oct. 7, 2024 letter of then-DepEd special disbursement officer (SDO), Edwward Fajarda to Chua, where Fajarda responded to the CGGPA’s show-cause order to explain failure to attend or respond to an invitation from the panel
- Oct. 7, 2024 letter of OVP Administrative and Financial Service Office Director, Rosalynne Sanchez to Chua, where Sanchez responded to the CGGPA’s show-cause order to explain failure to attend or respond to an invitation from the panel
- Oct. 7, 2024 letter of OVP Assistant Chief of Staff, Lemuel Ortonio to Chua, where Ortonio responded to the CGGPA’s show-cause order to explain failure to attend or respond to an invitation from the panel
- Nov. 5, 2024 position paper of Lopez, then-OVP SDO, Gina Acosta, Fajarda, and his spouse, Sunshine Fajarda on refusal to attend CGGPA hearing, and request to terminate hearing
- Nov. 5, 2024 letter of OVP employees to Chua on refusal to attend CGGPA hearing, and request to terminate hearing
- Nov. 12, 2024 letter of Acosta, Fajarda couple to Chua to explain failure to attend CGGPA hearings
- Nov. 24, 2024 letter of Lopez to Chua to excuse appearance in CGGPA hearing
- Aug. 21, 2024 letter of Commission on Audit Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba to then chairperson of Committee on appropriations Elizaldy Co, on compliance to subpoena duces tecum
- Aug. 21, 2024 letter of Lopez to Cordoba, requesting that the latter not comply to the subpoena and refuse submission of the OVP and DepEd documents.
The defense, through lawyer Lindon Miguel Bacquel, stipulated to the documents’ authenticity and presumed regularity.
With no remaining documents for Pareja to authenticate, Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero excused her from the witness stand.
Former OVP disbursing officer Gina Acosta was then called to testify about the handling of the OVP’s confidential funds from the fourth quarter of 2022 through the third quarter of 2023. /dp
