Ombudsman Orders VP Sara Duterte, DepEd, and OVP Officials to Answer Complaint on Confidential Fund Spending

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered Vice President Sara Duterte and nine other former and current officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to respond to a complaint stemming from the House investigation into alleged misuse of confidential funds.

According to the order, Duterte and the other respondents have been given 10 days to submit their counter-affidavits in response to the complaint, which is based on the report of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chaired by Manila Representative Joel Chua.

“Failure to file a counter-affidavit within the aforesaid period shall be deemed a waiver of the respondent’s right to submit controverting evidence, and the preliminary investigation shall proceed accordingly,” the Ombudsman’s directive stated.

If the respondents fail to comply, the Ombudsman will resolve the case based solely on the evidence presented by the complainants.

It will be recalled that on June 10, the House committee recommended the filing of plunder charges against Vice President Duterte in connection with alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds under the DepEd and OVP in 2022 and 2023.

Also facing possible charges are former and incumbent officials of the DepEd and the OVP, including Duterte’s chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez.

In addition to plunder, the committee recommended the filing of charges for technical malversation, falsification, bribery, and graft and corruption against those involved.

The committee report was formally adopted by the House of Representatives during its plenary session on the evening of June 10, after being presented by Committee Chair Joel Chua.

According to the investigation, around ₱612.5 million in confidential funds were allegedly spent irregularly by the DepEd and OVP over a two-year period.

One of the key findings highlighted in the report was the disbursement of confidential funds to an individual identified as “Mary Grace Piattos,” who, upon verification with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), was found to have no official records of existence.

The report also noted that several disbursements were questionable, lacked clear documentation, and allegedly violated procurement and auditing procedures required for the handling of confidential funds.

Vice President Duterte and her legal team have yet to issue an official statement regarding the Ombudsman’s order or their next legal action as of this writing.

If the Ombudsman finds probable cause based on the complaint and the evidence submitted, it could lead to the formal filing of charges before the Sandiganbayan, the Philippines’ anti-graft court.

The controversy surrounding the confidential funds has sparked renewed calls for stricter oversight and transparency in the allocation and use of such funds by government agencies.