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Philippine VP Duterte impeachment: 'Pusa, belat', other absurd names receive confidential funds
Duterte’s former staff admitted she did not verify the names of those who reportedly received up to P250,000 (Dh15,000) for services rendered such as tree planting and Christmas activities
- PUBLISHED: Mon 24 Aug 2026, 4:47 PM
The names of purported recipients of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte’s cash disbursements are getting more ridiculous, cementing allegations that reports of how her office spent so-called confidential funds are fictitious.
Duterte’s former special disbursing officer Gina Acosta wrapped up her testimony on Monday at the ongoing impeachment trial by the Philippine Senate, admitting she knew nothing of how nearly half-a-billion pesos (Dh30 million) were spent by the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
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Acosta admitted she has neither met nor personally verified the existence of recipients: Timon Andrew Pusa (Filipino for cat), Antonio Pagong (turtle), Don Piang (cripple), May Pamana (inheritance), Shane Ngitngit (anger), and Xuniso P. Belat (Tagalog for “serves you right!”). The said persons reportedly received between P100,000 and P250,000 (Dh15,000) for services rendered to the OVP’s activities such as tree planting and Christmas activities between December 2022 and 2023.
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'Incredible coincidences'
Senator-judges have again pointed out the improbability of the names submitted by the OVP to audit authorities, such as family names similar to their own.
In a rare instance, the usually quiet senator Lito Lapid rose to ask Acosta about recipients with the same rare surnames as his.
Sen Risa Hontiveros also asked Acosta about a supposed recipient named Hontiveros, who must be a relative. “The person even had the same birthdate as I have! Didn’t you realise what an incredible coincidence that was?” she asked Acosta.
Previously mentioned were so-called recipients matching the surnames of senators Francis Escudero and Jinggoy Estrada, former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. and House of Representatives prosecutor Chel Diokno who are uncommon but rarefied names belonging to the Philippine political and show business elite.
Several senator-judges expressed disbelief at the latest names, suggesting these were all made up.
Is Acosta's admission enough to convict Duterte?
Political observers said Acosta’s testimony has so far established two admissions.
First, it was Duterte who ordered her to withdraw hundreds of millions of so-called confidential funds and turn them over to OVP’s head of security Col Raymund Dante Lachica.
Second, Acosta, as disbursing officer, did not personally verify how the colonel spent the money, purportedly in various parts of the country within a matter of days.
Acosta also testified that she has not met any of the recipients, backing down after Lachica’s admonition that she should not ask too much because of the confidential nature of the expenditures and the reports.
“I merely trusted what he told me,” was Acosta’s repeated answer to the questions.
House trial spokesperson Representative Zia Alonto Adiong described the mechanism revealed by Acosta as a “modus operandi” in which Duterte was “calling the shots” to disburse cash to an individual without the statutory authority to handle funds.
Philippine constitutional law expert Lulu Reyes commented that Acosta failed to show the basic “reasonable prudence” expected of an officer guarding public funds, noting she blindly followed instructions without proper oversight or scrutiny.
Mindanao student Cobbie Jan Canda said Acosta’s testimony has revealed another pattern of corruption in government. “Both Duterte and [Philippine President Ferdinand] Marcos alike are abusing these [confidential and intelligence] funds to fund themselves, stealing away the future of the youth.”