VP Sara Duterte slapped with 3rd impeachment complaint

Religious groups and lawyers filed the third impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte on Dec. 19, 2024. Photo by Faith Argosino / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Religious groups, lawyers, and non-government organizations filed the third impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte before the House of Representatives’ Office of the Secretary General on Thursday.

The groups led by Amando Virgil Ligutan submitted the impeachment complaint to the office of House Secretary General Reginald Velasco at 11:45 a.m.

READ: VP Sara Duterte faces 2nd impeachment rap

Based on a copy Ligutan briefly showed to the media, the ground for impeachment used is culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust.

Among the issues mentioned in the complaint are the alleged misuse of confidential funds (CFs) of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

Duterte resigned as DepEd chief last June.

During the last hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability on November 25, two OVP officials admitted to releasing millions worth of CFs to security officer Col. Dennis Nolasco and the head of Duterte’s security group, Col. Raymund Lachica.

OVP special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta revealed that she left all the CF to Lachica, who was tasked to manage them.

Similarly, former DepEd SDO Edward Fajarda said he released the funds to Nolasco, who was assigned by Duterte to disburse them.

The panel’s findings also revealed that Acosta encashed P125 million per quarter between late 2022 and 2023, while Fajarda encashed P37.5 million per quarter in 2023.

Moreover, the names Mary Grace Piattos and Kokoy Villamin — which were among the names written on the acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for CF expenditures of the OVP and DepEd — could not be found in Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) records.

Aside from these names, 405 of the 677 names in the ARs for DepEd’s CFs also have no records with the PSA.

Meanwhile, below are the names of the complainants listed on the third impeachment complaint:

• Reverend Father Antonio Labiao, Jr.

• Reverend Father Joel Saballa

• Reverend Father Rico P. Ponce

• Reverend Father Dionisio V. Ramos

• Reverend Father Esmeraldo A. Reforeal

• Reverend Father Daniel Franklin Pilario

• Simon Serrano (Stop Corruption Philippines founder)

• Wilfredo G. Villanueva (Stand Up For God Rosary Group lead founder)
  Pinky L. Tam

• Union Of Peoples’ Lawyers In Mindanao as represented herein by its Vice Chair Atty. Joel B. Mahinay, Maria Loreto A. Lopez, and Atty. Shanelle Aubrey Gianina A. Gomez

The first impeachment complaint against Duterte was filed by civil society organizations. It was endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña last December 2.

Duterte was slapped with the second impeachment complaint filed by over 70 representatives of progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan on December 4.

Her office was investigated by the House committee on good government and public accountability due to the alleged misuse of confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.