Impeachment Complaint Filed Against Vice President Sara Duterte Over Alleged Abuse of Confidential Funds

Groups affiliated with the Makabayan Coalition on Monday filed the first petition in the second batch of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, formally submitting the case to the Office of the House Secretary General.

The verified complaint accuses the Vice President of betrayal of public trust, citing three major grounds linked to the alleged misuse of confidential funds, lack of transparency, and defiance of congressional oversight.

According to the petitioners, Duterte allegedly committed gross abuse of discretionary powers in relation to ₱612.5 million in confidential funds released from December 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. The complainants argue that the use of these funds lacked proper justification and violated principles governing confidential and intelligence expenditures.

The complaint further alleges that Duterte showed a gross disregard for transparency and accountability, effectively undermining the government’s audit process. Petitioners claim she ordered her subordinates to prepare implausible accomplishment reports supported by fabricated liquidation reports and falsified documents, which were allegedly submitted to the Commission on Audit to legitimize questionable expenses.

The groups assert that the alleged actions violated existing laws and regulations on public fund utilization and caused serious injury to the government and Filipino taxpayers.

A third ground cited in the impeachment complaint is dereliction of official duty, stemming from Duterte’s alleged willful refusal to recognize Congress’ power of oversight. The petition claims that the Vice President repeatedly declined to participate meaningfully in budget deliberations and failed to acknowledge the authority of lawmakers to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation.

Members of the Makabayan Coalition said the filing underscores the need to uphold constitutional accountability mechanisms, especially for high-ranking public officials entrusted with large discretionary funds.

The complaint now awaits action from the House of Representatives, which will determine whether the allegations meet the constitutional threshold for impeachment proceedings.

Vice President Duterte has yet to issue a formal response to the latest impeachment filing as of this writing.