DepEd, OVP disbursing officers: 'Security officers' handled confidential funds

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education and Office of the Vice President’s confidential funds were not directly paid to informants and other recipients by the special disbursing officers. Instead, the task was delegated to “designated” security officers.

After seven hearings by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, the authenticity of the acknowledgment receipts remains uncertain based on the responses of former DepEd special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda and OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta.

At the hearing on Monday, November 25, both claimed they have no idea how the confidential funds were used, since the funds were disbursed to security officers. 

They said the security officers were the ones who traveled to various locations and were “in the field” to distribute rewards and pay the rental expenses of safe houses.  

For the DepEd, Fajarda said he handed the funds to DepEd security officer colonel Dennis Nolasco. 

For the OVP,  Acosta said she handed over the OVP’s P125 million in full to colonel Raymund Dante Lachica, head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group. 

“Meron po akong process ng pagdi-disburse. Sa security officer lang po ako nagdidsburse, wala nang iba (I have a process for disbursement. I only release the funds to the security officer, no one else.),” Fajarda said.

Fajarda said it was Lachica who assigned a certain security officer named “Allan” to accompany him during the fund withdrawals.

Asked how they withdrew the funds, Fajarda confirmed the testimony of Landbank officials from the sixth hearing. He said he encashed the checks and used three bags — one large backpack and two duffel bags — to store the P37.5 million in cash. 

The checks were only released to the special disbursing officers after the disbursement vouchers were approved by the accounting division. 

He also confirmed that the withdrawals were made in three separate transactions, P37.5 million each, and eventually kept in a vault in the DepEd’s office.

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Acosta shared a similar experience. She said she was accompanied by OVP