Spox: House didn’t file complaint against Sara Duterte before Ombudsman

House of Representatives — File photo

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives on Friday maintained that it did not file any complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman concerning Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Speaking to reporters in a press conference on Friday, House of Representatives Spokesperson Princess Abante clarified that the lower chamber did not initiate or file any complaint before the Ombudsman concerning Duterte’s alleged misuse of public funds.

That came after Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered the country’s second top official to respond to such a complaint.

READ: Ombudsman-orders-vp-sara-duterte-others-to-respond-to-complaints-over-misuse-of-funds

“What I can confirm to you is that the plenary adopted the report of the committee on good government and public accountability on June 10, and then the committee report was furnished to the Ombudsman, and they received it on June 16,” said Abante.

“So it appears that the Ombudsman acted upon the recommendation of the committee. What I know is that the House or the committee itself did not file any complaint, but it appears that the Ombudsman acted upon the recommendation,” she added.

The spokesperson refused to comment on the timing of the Ombudsman’s order, saying that the House of Representatives is still looking forward to the impeachment trial to proceed.

Asked why the Ombudsman identified the lower chamber as a complainant for the said complaint, Abante simply said: “Really, why?”

READ: House-adopts-blue-ribbon-report-urging-criminal-raps-vs-duterte

Still, she maintained that the Ombudsman can and should perform its duty and the chamber would act on what happens in the investigation they are doing.

The House of Representatives in June adopted the report of the committee on good government and public accountability, which recommended the filing of criminal charges against Duterte and other officials from her office over their alleged misuse of confidential funds.

This motion includes the filing of the following charges against some past and present officials of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education:

• ⁠technical malversation
• falsification and use of falsified documents
• ⁠perjury
•  ⁠bribery and corruption
• ⁠plunder, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution /mr