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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Prosecution presents 4th witness on VP Sara confidential funds misuse article

Prosecution presents 4th witness on VP Sara confidential funds misuse article

Published Aug 5, 2026 06:06 pm

At A Glance

  • The House prosecution team presented its fourth witness, COA Supervising Auditor Celine May del Campo, to testify on the alleged misuse of confidential funds by Vice President Sara Duterte.
  • Del Campo's testimony focused on her evaluation of the OVP's responses to audit notices, which led to disallowances covering confidential funds in late 2022 and throughout 2023, and continued audits into DepEd's confidential funds.
  • The prosecution began authenticating documentary evidence through Del Campo, but due to defense objections and time constraints, Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero directed her to continue reviewing records after adjournment, with direct examination set to resume on Aug. 10.
COA Supervising Auditor Celine May del Campo (Senate PRIB)
COA Supervising Auditor Celine May del Campo (Senate PRIB)


The House prosecution team in Vice President Sara Duterte's Senate impeachment trial called to the witness stand on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 5 its fourth witness on the allegation of confidential fund misuse.
Taking her oath before senator-judges was COA Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office (ICFAO) Supervising Auditor Celine May del Campo.
Del Ocampo is the prosecution's second witness from the Commission on Audit (COA), after auditor Roderick Wamil.
Wamil’s testimony covered the irregularities found in the use and liquidation of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in 2022 and 2023.
He was reassigned from ICFAO in 2024. This made Del Ocampo's testimony vital in completing the account on the P612.5 million secret funds, which was misused according to article I of the articles of impeachment.
Last week, prosecutors began the presentation on article I with the testimonies of retired Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) Shaw Boulevard branch department manager Violeta Constantino and former Landbank DepEd branch manager Nenita Camposano. The confidential funds were encashed from these branches.
What will her testimony cover?
Before Del Campo took the stand, private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan outlined the purpose of her testimony.
Kapunan said Del Campo would testify on her evaluation of the OVP’s response to a Notice of Suspension dated Dec. 13, 2023, which prosecutors said remained noncompliant with Joint Circular (JC) No. 2015-01, the rules governing the use and audit of intelligence and confidential funds.
She said Del Campo’s evaluation and recommendation led to the issuance of a Notice of Disallowance dated Aug. 8, 2024 covering the OVP’s confidential funds for Dec. 21 to 31, 2022.
She said Del Campo also continued the audit of the OVP’s responses to Audit Observation Memoranda [AOM] covering the first to third quarters of 2023, which later resulted in another Notice of Disallowance dated March 31, 2026.
Kapunan says the witness is likewise expected to testify on the continuation of the audit of the DepEd’s confidential funds for the same period.
According to Del Campo, ICFAO reviews the utilization of intelligence and confidential funds only after the transactions have been completed and the funds have been spent.
The prosecution then began authenticating documentary evidence through Del Campo, starting with a tabulation and 845 acknowledgment receipts covering the OVP’s liquidation of confidential funds from Dec. 21 to 31, 2022.
Because the defense declined to stipulate to the authenticity of the documents and raised objections to the tabulation, Del Campo was required to review the records individually.
With time running out, Senate impeachment court presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero directed the witness to continue reviewing the documents after the hearing's adjournment at just before 3 p.m.
The prosecution will resume direct examination on Del Campo on Monday, Aug. 10.

Related Tags

confidential funds IMPEACHMENT Sara Duterte COA Celine May del Ocampo
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