Politics · Philippines Bureau
Army Officials Clarify DepEd Youth Summit Certifications Had No CF Link
Two Philippine Army officers testified before the Senate impeachment court that their certifications of the Department of Education's youth training program participation were unrelated to the agency's use of confidential funds.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Military officials appearing before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday sought to clarify that their certifications regarding the Department of Education's involvement in 2023 youth training programs carried no implications about the agency's confidential fund expenditures.
The two Philippine Army officers testified that their documentation merely confirmed DepEd's participation in the youth summit initiatives, not any spending related to confidential funds. "I think there is nothing I am certifying regarding the expenditure of funds, your honor. It's only stating that we [witnessed the participation]," one officer stated during questioning.
The testimony came as part of ongoing Senate proceedings examining DepEd's use of confidential funds. The distinction raised by the military witnesses suggests that institutional participation in youth programs operated independently from questions surrounding the agency's confidential fund allocations and management.
The clarification underscores differing roles among government agencies in documenting educational initiatives, with the military's involvement limited to witnessing and certifying attendance rather than oversight of financial transactions.