House prosecution panel spokesperson Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong says millions worth of confidential funds attributed to impeachment trial respondent Vice President Sara Duterte may have been used to further the latter's political plans.

Adiong, a member of the House "Young Guns" bloc, came to this conclusion after learning during the Senate impeachment trial Tuesday, Aug. 11 of the various social activities that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent its confidential funds on.

"Sa aking palagay, parang connected dito sa pagkikilala at pangangampanya ng VP," he said.

(I think, perhaps, this connects to the VP's familiarization and her campaign.)

Adiong was reacting to the testimony of COA state auditor Xylene del Campo, who told the court Tuesday that the OVP had listed Christmas activities, a Knights of Rizal event, thanksgiving and coordination meetings, tree planting, gift-giving and medical missions among the activities supporting its confidential fund liquidation.

“Paano ka magiging confidential in nature ng Christmas party? Paano ka magkakaroon ng isang confidential by nature na activity na pakikipag-coordinate ka sa Knights of Rizal?” the prosecution mouthpiece asked.

(How can a Christmas party be confidential in nature? How can you have an activity confidential in nature when you are coordinating with the Knights of Rizal?)

Del Campo testified that these activities were not among those allowed under the joint circular (JC) governing the use of confidential funds.

She also said some of the activities were conducted from Dec. 13 to 18, 2022, even though the OVP’s cash advance covered only Dec. 21 to 31.

Adiong said the timing also raised doubts because the reported activities came before the funds were released.

“Kasi ang only way you can actually conduct an activity, ang gagastusin mo is ang confidential funds na hindi nauuna muna ang aktibidad bago pa i-release ang pera,” he noted.

(The only way you can actually conduct an activity is by spending confidential funds, and the activity does not come before the release of the money.)

“So mukhang ang tingin natin, ni-reimburse yung activity na hindi saklaw nung ina-allow sa [JC], na mukhang itong activity na ito ay ginagawa para sa kanyang personal,” the Midnanaoan said.

(So it looks like the activity was reimbursed even though it was not covered by what is allowed in the [JC], and it seems this activity was done for his personal purpose.)

He added that the latest testimony should also be viewed alongside the questions raised over the OVP’s acknowledgment receipts (AR), which in some cases lacked enough supporting documents to establish who received the money and how it was used.

Adiong said the burden is now on the OVP to provide documents proving that the people named in the receipts were real recipients and that the transactions were legitimate confidential fund activities.

“Kayo ang pinanggalingan ng AR, kayo ang may kilala sa mga informants ninyo; the burden of proof has now shifted to the defense,” he said.

(You are the source of the acknowledgement receipts, you are the one who knows your informants; the burden of proof has now shifted to the defense.)

On Feb. 18, 2026, Duterte declared her intention to run for president in the 2028 elections. The House of Representatives initiated impeachment proceedings against her five days later.