VP Duterte approved use of travel bags for P125-M fund transfer

Gina Acosta, who previously served as special disbursing officer for the Office of the Vice President, revealed that the Vice President herself approved the method for transporting the substantial sum of confidential funds. The withdrawal from Land Bank's Shaw Boulevard branch occurred on December 20, 2022, marking a significant transaction that has since drawn scrutiny.

According to Acosta's account, the use of traveling bags as containers for the P125 million represented an unconventional approach to handling such a large amount of confidential government funds. The testimony provides a direct link between the Vice President and the decision-making process surrounding the fund transfer.

The revelation emerged as part of ongoing investigations into the disbursement practices of the Office of the Vice President. The specificity of Acosta's account—naming the exact date, amount, and the Vice President's personal approval—underscores the significance of the transaction in question.

The case has raised questions about protocols governing the handling and transport of confidential government funds, as well as the oversight mechanisms in place at the vice presidential office. Officials continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the December 2022 withdrawal and its subsequent disposition.