Prosecution Eyes Duterte as 'Queen' in Confidential Fund Probe

MANILA — Counsel for the prosecution Lorna Kapunan has drawn a chess analogy to describe the potential focus of investigators in the ongoing probe into confidential fund usage, positioning Vice President Sara Duterte as a key figure in the investigation.

Kapunan likened Duterte's suspected role to that of a queen on a chessboard, suggesting the prosecution may eventually concentrate its efforts on the vice president as other individuals under investigation—described as "pawns" and other chess pieces—have failed to adequately explain how confidential funds were utilized.

The comparison underscores the prosecution's strategy to move beyond lower-level officials toward what investigators believe may be higher-level involvement in the matter. According to Kapunan's assessment, the inability of other individuals to account for the confidential funds has prompted prosecutors to consider focusing their investigation more directly on Duterte.

The confidential fund investigation has become a significant matter in Philippine governance, with authorities seeking clarity on how such funds were accessed and allocated. The prosecution's apparent shift in investigative focus signals a potential escalation in the case as officials attempt to trace the funds to their source.