Ex-aide allegedly distributed half-billion pesos in VP's confidential funds

MANILA — Testimony presented in an ongoing investigation Monday centered on the role of Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica in managing confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President, with a hostile witness alleging the officer disbursed P500 million on Vice President Sara Duterte's orders.

The witness's account raised critical distinctions about Lachica's involvement, questioning whether he directly disbursed the funds or merely acted as an "implementer" of instructions from higher authority. The characterization carries significant legal implications as authorities examine how the OVP's discretionary budget was allocated and spent.

Confidential funds, commonly known as CFs, are discretionary budgets typically used for sensitive government operations and intelligence activities. The scale of the P500 million figure has drawn scrutiny from oversight bodies investigating the OVP's financial management.

The testimony is part of broader investigations into the handling of public funds by the vice president's office. Duterte previously faced questions about millions in confidential funds released to her office, with critics arguing for greater transparency in how such discretionary budgets are spent.