Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan couldn't help but comment during the Senate impeachment trial Tuesday, Aug. 11 that only Superman could have done the single-day confidential funds disbursement feat indicated in the documents submitted by the Department of Education (DepEd) under its former secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte.

An incredulous Kapunan made the remark after reading before prosecution witness Commission on Audit (COA) state auditor Xylene del Campo the details on several acknowledgement receipts (ARs) of confidential funds paid off on the same day in different locations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

"Kasi ako, Marvel Comics ang binabasa ko; Superman ang favorite ko. Kung hindi man Superman ang isang SDO (Special Disbursing Officer), kaya ba niyang puntahan, sa palagay mo, lahat na ito?" Kapunan asked witness Xylene Del Campo, a state auditor of the Commission on Audit-Intelligence and Confidential Fund Audit Office (COA-ICFAO).

(Because me, I read Marvel Comics; Superman is my favorite. Even if a Special Disbursing Officer isn’t Superman, do you think he can handle all of this?)

Kapunan's remarks earned an immediate objection from impeachment trial respondent Vice President Duterte's defense’s counsel, who said the question was "speculative".

"What is speculative about Superman, he can fly anywhere in one day?" the witty Kapunan retorted.

Presiding officer Senator-judge Francis "Chiz" Escudero did not sustain the objection and instead directed the prosecutor to move on.

And despite Kapunan's mistake of associating the iconic caped superhero with Marvel instead of DC comics, Escudero still told her, "We get your point, counsel."

According to Escudero, it was obvious that one person could not have flown in the places written in the ARs and distributed the amounts indicated in such documents in a single day.

He referred to testimonies that the funds were turned over by DepEd SDO to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, who was then head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG)

During her direct examination of witness Del Campo, Kapunan read three batches of ARs purportedly to support the liquidation of the P112.5-million confidential fudns given to DepEd in 2023.

The first batch was dated Feb. 21, 2023, the second batch four days later on Feb. 25, while the third group of receipts was dated March 15, 2023.

Among the Feb. 21 ARs Kapunan read were for P50,000, no name but with signature, paid in Danao; P100,000 in Malolos; P45,000 in Negros Occidental; and another AR with address in Negros Oriental.

The Feb. 25 receipts included P200,000 paid in Masbate, P100,000 in Laoag City, P45,000 in Davao City, one AR indicating an amount paid in Agusan del Norte, P50,000 in Olongapo City, P150,000 in Masbate, P45,000 in Davao City, and P50,000 in Pangasinan.

Kapunan read the March 15 ARs in quick succession, and also mentioned the amounts, supposed recipients, and the date funds were allegedly distributed.

Asked about the significance of the documents, Del Campo said they showed that different amounts were given to informants in different places in one day.

Del Campo also testified that under a 2015 joint circular issued by COA, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and three other agencies, only the SDO was authorized to distribute confidential and intelligence funds.

She said in the case of DepEd, when the Vice President was education secretary, the latter did not designate another person as SDO other than Fajarda. Duterte helmed the agency from 2022 to 2024.

Del Campo also supported the assertion of the prosecution’s first COA witness, Roderick Wamil, that under the joint circular, it was the head of the agency who is primarily accountable for the use of the confidential funds.

The Senate impeachment court is currently hearing testimonies in relation to article I of the articles of impeachment, which involves alleged systematic misuse, misappropriation, and irregular liquidation of up to P612.5 million confidential funds by the respondent.