Sara prepares to confront the confidential funding issue
In a turn of events, Vice President Sara Duterte is currently facing ongoing allegations of misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education during 2022 and 2023. Despite the Supreme Court (SC) ruling the impeachment complaint against her as "unconstitutional" and dismissing the case, some House lawmakers continue to push for her accountability.
The SC's decision to dismiss the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte was made on July 25. In response, Duterte's team submitted all documents required by the high court during the case proceedings. Duterte has maintained that her team is prepared to face the allegations in the "proper forum" and has provided explanations and documents during the impeachment proceedings and the SC review. She has stated that she would respond only when the accusations are formally addressed.
Two House Deputy Speakers, Paolo Ortega V and Jay Khonghun, insist that Duterte remain accountable, emphasizing that impeachment is not the only path for resolving the charges, and that further investigation or trial could follow. Malacañang (Palace) has also criticized Duterte for not addressing the allegations earlier, suggesting that the issue could have been resolved during audit processes before escalating to impeachment proceedings.
Issues leading to suspicion involve irregularities in receipts and dubious names listed as recipients of the confidential funds. Credible concerns have been raised by lawmakers and auditors. Duterte, however, has reiterated her readiness to respond if the case is pursued in an appropriate legal venue.
The reasons for the impeachment included allegations of graft, corruption, and an alleged involvement in an assassination plot against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Duterte has urged respect for the Senate's move regarding the archiving of the impeachment complaint.
In summary, while the impeachment complaint against Sara Duterte has been dismissed by the Supreme Court, the allegations of misuse of confidential funds have not been formally resolved. Political and legal actors continue to call for her accountability, and her defense waits for a proper forum to present more comprehensive responses.
