Ex-lawmaker believes impeached Sara to be convicted

MANILA, Philippines — A former lawmaker believes Vice President Sara Duterte can be convicted in the impeachment trial for betrayal of public trust following her spending spree at the Department of Education (DepEd).

According to former Bayan Muna party-list congressman Neri Colmenares, Duterte was not able and has consistently refused to explain how she spent the P125-million confidential and intelligence funds of DepEd in 11 days in December 2022 while government and private offices were on Christmas holiday.

“Betrayal of public trust is simply a violation of your oath of office. You have an oath of office, but you did not follow it. And what is the oath of office of the vice president, the president and all other government officials? It is to obey the Constitution and execute the laws,” Colmenares said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum yesterday.

Colmenares is skeptical that Duterte’s lawyers will be able to secure an easy acquittal, contrary to the Vice President’s earlier claim.

“There is a law under the Revised Penal Code that a government official should account for public funds that was given to him/her. And failure to do so under the Revised Penal Code, and you cannot account for public funds under your custody, then you are liable for graft and corruption and for malversation,” he said.

“For us, Vice President Sara Duterte has not explained many things. She cannot account the funds she received, specifically the confidential and intelligence funds amounting to P125 million of DepEd, not to mention the total of P612.5-million combined confidential and intelligence funds of the DepEd and the Office of the Vice President that she received for two years,” he added.