“Tama na po itong panloloko sa atin”: Sen. Erwin Tulfo on witness’ ‘difficulty’ with questions

MindaNews / 17 August 2026 – A visibly impatient Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo interrupted the direct examination Monday of Gina Acosta, former special disbursing officer of the Office of the Vice President, to confront her on why she appeared struggling with Filipino and English questions.

Holding a transcript of Acosta’s testimony before a House committee hearing in November 2024, Tulfo said she answered in both languages throughout the proceedings.

“She’s a government official, she doesn’t know what discretionary means… Dito po sumasagot naman po siya, English, Tagalog,” Tulfo said.

Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo said Gina Acosta, former special disbursing officer of the Office of the Vice President, appeared to have little trouble understanding Filipino, or Tagalog, when she appeared before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability on November 2024. Screenshot from the Senate’s 17 August 2026 YouTube livestream.

“Mr. President, tama na po itong panloloko sa atin (enough of this deception against us). Please, Mr. President, compel this witness to talk in Tagalog,” Tulfo said, adding the trial will drag on if every question has to be translated.

“Kahit po yung mga Bisaya po nakaintindi ng Tagalog, nakakasalita ng Tagalog. Ano tayo sa ibang bansa? Ano tayo? Mga Hapon, mga Chinese? (Even the Bisaya understand Tagalog, can speak Tagalog. Are we in other countries? What are we? Japanese, Chinese?) I know Ms. Witness, you can understand. You can understand Tagalog.”

Presiding officer Francis Escudero asked private prosecutor Amando Ligutan to ask questions in Filipino.

Acosta was presented by the prosecution as a hostile witness in Monday’s hearing on Article I of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte alleging misuse of confidential funds. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno/MindaNews)