Ombudsman orders VP Sara: Respond to House-backed plunder, other complaints

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires confirms to Rappler the issuance of the order directing the Vice President to file her counter-affidavits to the complaints

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered Vice President Sara Duterte and others to respond to the complaints backed by the House of Representatives that stemmed from the Vice President’s allegedly anomalous confidential funds spending.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires confirmed to Rappler the issuance of the order directing the Vice President to file her counter-affidavits to the complaints.

Apart from Duterte, nine other officials from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) were also ordered to file their affidavits. Before resigning, Duterte concurrently headed the education department in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet.

Based on the Ombudsman document published by GMA News, Duterte and other officials are facing the following complaints:

• Plunder
• Corruption of public officers
• Technical malversation
• Falsification
• Use of falsified documents
• Perjury
• Bribery
• Betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution

The officials were ordered to file their counter-affidavits within 10 days upon the receipt of the Ombudsman order. In proceedings, respondents are ordered to file their affidavits to allow them defend themselves and explain their side.

At this point, the Ombudsman is at the preliminary investigation phase, where it will determine if there is sufficient proof to pursue cases against the respondents.

On June 11, the House of Representatives adopted the committee report of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which pushed for the recommendation of complaints against the Vice President.

Led by lawmaker Joel Chua, the panel conducted a total of eight public hearings to investigate the alleged misuse of OVP and DepEd’s confidential funds under Duterte.

According to Chua, the panel was able to establish that the confidential funds were misused based on the questionable and fabricated acknowledgment receipts found in the OVP and DepEd documents.

Apart from the complaints in the Ombudsman, Duterte has an impending impeachment trial after she was impeached by the lower chamber in February. She also faces inciting to sedition and grave threats complaints over her statement that she had arranged to assassinate Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed first. – Rappler.com