VP Duterte faces plunder, malversation charges before Ombudsman

FORMER Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV and a civil society group filed plunder, graft and malversation complaints against Vice-President (VP) Sara Duterte-Capio on Wednesday, asking the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate allegations they said could support the filing of an impeachment case.

In a 41-page complaint, Mr. Trillanes and members of The Silent Majority urged the Ombudsman to conduct a “swift and timely investigation and case buildup” into 23 counts of alleged plunder, malversation, graft and other high crimes attributed to Ms. Duterte.

“The verified complaint is being filed to request the honorable Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a formal investigation against Vice-President Duterte for the possible filing of a recommendation by this honorable office for Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings against her,” the complainants said.

They also asked the Ombudsman to recommend to the House of Representatives the filing of impeachment charges, and to pursue criminal cases should probable cause be found.

Israelito P. Torreon, a lawyer for the Duterte family, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ruth B. Castelo, an Office of the Vice-President (OVP) spokesperson, also did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

Civil society leaders filed plunder complaints against Ms. Duterte in December over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to her and the Department of Education (DepEd), which she led from 2022 to 2024.

The latest complaint expands the allegations to include Ms. Duterte’s term as mayor of Davao City.

According to Jocelyn “Jozy” Marie Acosta, founder of The Silent Majority, the filing consolidates earlier complaints and introduces allegations based on audit reports, affidavits and public records.

These include the alleged plunder and malversation of P650 million in confidential funds from the OVP and DepEd; the plunder of P2.7 billion in confidential funds during her time as Davao City mayor; and graft and malversation involving about P8 billion worth of overpriced laptops procured during her tenure at DepEd.

The complaint also cited more than P12 billion in Commission on Audit disallowances at DepEd, P7 billion in unliquidated cash advances and the construction of only 192 classrooms out of a reported target of more than 6,000.

It further alleged the nondeclaration of more than P2 billion in bank deposits and other assets in Ms. Duterte’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Included in the filing is a sworn affidavit executed in November by Ramil L. Madriaga, described in the complaint as a former intelligence operative and campaign worker allegedly assigned by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte to Ms. Duterte during her vice-presidential campaign.

Mr. Madriaga said he was repeatedly instructed by Ms. Duterte’s security chief at the OVP to deliver large sums of money drawn from confidential funds of the OVP and DepEd to various people, according to the complaint.

The complaint further said Mr. Madriaga identified some recipients as people linked to illegal drug trafficking and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.

The complainants said the affidavit, along with other evidence, “bolsters and substantiates” their claims that the Vice-President committed plunder and malversation of public funds, which they argued constitute impeachable offenses.

Under the Constitution, impeachment proceedings must be initiated by the House of Representatives and tried by the Senate. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking