House impeachment adviser Robert Ace Barbers says the prosecution panel intends to finish the "puzzle"--so to speak--of respondent Vice President Sara Duterte's alleged misuse of confidential funds through the presentation of more witnesses.

This, even as Barbers claimed that what prosecutors had laid down so far was already sufficient to paint a picture of an official who deserved to be removed from office.

“Sa amin, sapat na so far, at meron pang idadagdag (For us, it is sufficient so far, and there is more to be added),” he said Friday, Aug. 28 during a virtual press briefing.

“Sa amin, sa prosecution, ay tuloy-tuloy lamang na buuin ’yung litrato o ’yung puzzle (For us in the prosecution, we will simply continue putting the picture, or the puzzle, together)," noted Barbers.

"Kasi bawat piyesa, bawat part ng puzzle na ’yan ay magbibigay ng totoong litrato o picture kung ano itong usapin na ’yan, o ano itong allegation na ito,” explained the former House quad-committee (quad-comm) overall chairman.

(Because each piece, each part of that puzzle, will provide the true picture of what this issue is about, or what this allegation is about.)

Respondent Duterte is being accused--among other things--of misuing P612.5 million worth of confidential funds released to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd).

The procpsecution's presentation has covered the request, release, encashment, handling and liquidation of the funds, along with Commission on Audit (COA) findings on questioned expenditures.

Among the witnesses already presented by the prosecution were OVP officials Gina Acosta and Lemuel Ortonio, both of whom were declared hostile witnesses by the Senate impeachment court.

Acosta testified that she turned over four P125-million tranches, or P500 million, to then-OVP security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica upon Duterte’s instruction despite remaining the accountable officer for the funds.

Ortonio, meanwhile, testified about Duterte’s knowledge and authorization of the confidential activities and said he had no personal knowledge of their actual implementation.

The prosecution is expected to present additional witnesses as it continues with the confidential fund charge, including witnesses connected to the P112.5 million in DepEd confidential funds.

Barbers says each piece of evidence is intended to give senator-judges a clearer basis for evaluating the allegations when the time comes to decide.

“‘Pag dumating sa punto na kung saan ay magdedesisyon ang ating mga senator-judges, eh marami silang pwedeng paghuhugutan ng basehan para sa kanilang mga desisyon, na base sa ebidensya,” he said.

(When it reaches the point where our senator-judges have to make a decision, they will have many things they can draw from as a basis for their decisions, based on the evidence.)