Although he signed the Department of Education’s replies to a state audit on confidential funds, lawyer Michael Poa, Vice President Sara Duterte’s second-in-command at DepEd, yesterday washed his hands of the matter, pointing responsibility instead to a former special disbursing officer who is currently unavailable due to a medical condition.

The Senate unanimously approved on third and final reading a bill barring relatives of public officials up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity and affinity from securing government contracts, a measure prompted by recent anomalies in public infrastructure projects.

The Senate impeachment court may hold whole-day trials in October as senators juggle their duties as judges trying Vice President Sara Duterte and as senators scrutinizing next year’s proposed P7.2-trillion budget.

The impeachment court on Wednesday, September 2, heard from its latest hostile witness, defense counsel and former DepEd spokesperson and chief of staff Michael Poa.

How Army youth summits entered DepEd’s confidential fund paper trail tackled in the impeachment trial.