Graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust possible grounds to impeach VP Duterte – lawmaker

Metro Manila, Philippines — Any possible impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte may have two potential grounds involving fund misuse: graft and corruption and betrayal of public trust, a lawmaker said on Monday, Oct. 28.

Duterte is under scrutiny at the House committee on good government and public accountability for supposedly questionable confidential funds in the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), which she previously headed.

The vice president only attended the first panel hearing but left it midway, and never reappeared in succeeding inquiries.

Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, panel chairperson, said Duterte may be impeached under the grounds of graft and corruption and betrayal of public trust.

“Pera po ito ng taumbayan, at obligasyon po namin na masiguro na ito po ay nagagamit po sa tama,” Chua told reporters in a virtual interview.

[Translation: This is the people’s money, and it is our obligation to make sure that this is spent correctly.]

“Kung justifiable naman po ‘yung paliwanag nila at nakumbinsi naman po kaming mga miyembro, I don’t see any reason kung bakit siya dapat file-an ng impeachment kasi mawawalan din kami ng ground kung justified po ‘yung kanilang paggamit,” he added.

[Translation: If the explanation is justifiable and we, the members, are convinced, I don’t see any reason why we should file an impeachment complaint because it will not prosper.]

The House committee is probing the P125-million confidential funds of the OVP which was spent in 11 days in 2022. Among the expenses is the supposed overpriced rental of safehouses that cost P16 million.

The Commission Audit has issued a notice of disallowance for P73.28 million of the fund.

The OVP’s P375-million confidential funds in 2023 are under audit observation memorandums in connection to financial and operational deficiencies.

The panel also noted an alleged unaccounted P15 million in the DepEd confidential funds, which were supposed for reward to informers for the youth leadership summits.

READ: Ex-education spokesman, director admit getting extra cash

NewsWatch Plus reached out to the OVP for a comment but has yet to respond.