Ombudsman probes VP Sara’s confidential funds

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has started its preliminary investigation on the alleged confidential funds misuse of Vice President Sara Duterte and her subordinates.

In an order issued on Thursday, the ombudsman directed Duterte and nine other officials of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) to file, within 10 days from receipt of order, their respective counter-affidavits on the committee report transmitted by the House committee on good government and public accountability.

“Failure to file counter-affidavit within the aforesaid period shall be deemed as waiver of respondents’ right to submit controverting evidence and the preliminary investigation shall proceed accordingly,” the ombudsman’s order read.

“Thereafter, this case shall be deemed submitted for resolution on the basis of the evidence presented by the parties, whose presence may be dispensed with, unless otherwise required for clarificatory questioning. No motion to dismiss or bill of particulars shall be entertained,” it added.

The order was signed by assistant ombudsman Nellie Boguen-Golez, the designated chairperson of the special panel of investigators.

The ombudsman’s investigation stemmed from Committee Report No. 1503 resulting from the House’s several hearings on the OVP and DepEd’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.

The ombudsman thus designated the House committee on good government and public accountability, represented by Manila Rep. Joel Chua, as the nominal complainant in its ongoing investigation.

Apart from Duterte, named as respondents in the complaint and ordered to file their counter-affidavits, were five officials of DepEd: special disbursing officers Edward Fajarda and Gina Acosta; assistant secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda, director for Strategic Management Office; retired Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mempin, undersecretary for Administration and Annalyn Sevilla, undersecretary for Finance Service.

Other respondents ordered to submit their counter-affidavits were four officials of the OVP: undersecretary and Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez, assistant secretary and assistant chief of staff Lemuel Ortonio and Lt. Col. Dennis Nolasco and Col. Raymund Dante Lachia of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group.

Duterte and the nine officials are accused of misuse of P500 million and P112.5 million in confidential funds of the OVP and DepEd, respectively, from 2022 to 2024. Duterte concurrently served as secretary of DepEd in July 2022 until she resigned in July 2024.

The OVP yesterday confirmed that it received the ombudsman order for the Vice President to respond to the House’s complaints related to alleged anomalous confidential fund spending. The OVP has yet to respond when asked to comment on the order.

In Congress, House spokesperson Princess Abante said yesterday that the House of Representatives is not a complainant in the case against Vice President in the Office of the Ombudsman.

“It appears that the ombudsman is acting upon the recommendation of the committee. The committee did not file any complaint, but the ombudsman acted upon its committee report that was adopted by the House which recommends the filing of charges against the Vice President,” she added. “The House did not file the complaint. The focus of the House is the impeachment trial.” — Bella Cariaso, Jose Rodel Clapano, Janvic Mateo