IMPEACH NO.2
A second impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte has been filed in the House of Representatives.
The 45-page complaint, filed by 75 individuals representing various sectors, has cited only one ground – the betrayal of public trust.
This was endorsed by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro; Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas.
Among the complainants are former lawmakers Teddy Casiño, Liza Maza and Neri Colmenares; Renato Reyes; Sara Jane Elago; students leaders; public school teachers; government employees; religious leaders; workers and peasants and human rights victims.
The Makabayan coalition focused on the betrayal of public trust for the misuse of P612.5 million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The Office of the Secretary General accepted the complaint.
The complaint has cited that there is a “systematic cover-up through fabricated accomplishment reports, receipts and documents submitted to the COA by the OVP and DepEd.”
It accused Duterte of “deliberate obstruction of congressional investigation and oversight.”
“We call on Congress to act swiftly on this impeachment complaint. The Filipino people, especially our taxpayers who bear the burden of funding government operations, deserve accountability from their second highest official,” Casino said in a press conference before the formal filling.
The complainants said Vice President’s brazen misuse of more than half a billion pesos in confidential funds, particularly the suspicious liquidation of P125 million in just 11 days at the end of 2022, represents a grave betrayal of public trust,” he added.
They said the Commission on Audit (COA) itself has flagged these expenditures as very questionable and not in accordance with the law and guidelines on the use of confidential funds.
For them the alleged misuse of confidential funds by Duterte of OVP and DepEd is a big betrayal against the people.
In addition, Makabayan president Liza Maza said “the systematic misuse and stealing of public funds is not a simple technical violation.”
“The misuse of confidential funds is a big betrayal to the people,” Maza said.
Meanwhile, Makabayan Impeachment counsel and Bayan Muna congressman Neri Colmenares accused Duterte of doing everything to hide her misuse of the P612.5 million confidential funds of the OVP and DepEd.
“She continuously refused to attend and face the budget hearings and the investigation of the House of Representatives. This is contrary to the oath of vice president to be accountable public official,” Colmenares said.
The complainant said that “Duterte betrayed public trust by her gross abuse of discretion powers over P612.5 million in confidential funds from December 2022 until the third quarter of 2023.
