VP Sara files counter-affidavit to House complaint

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has filed her counter-affidavit before the Office of the Ombudsman in response to the complaint filed by the House of Representatives regarding the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Duterte, according to a source, submitted the 17-page document through her legal counsels Michael Poa and Paul Lim at 1:10 p.m. on Thursday.

The complaint stems from the ombudsman’s investigation into the alleged misuse of P500 million and P112.5 million in confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education, respectively, which she served simultaneously from July 2022 until her resignation as DepEd secretary in July 2024.

Confirmation of the ombudsman’s directive came on June 20, when the OVP announced that Duterte and nine other officials from both the OVP and DepEd had been given 10 days to respond. Assistant Ombudsman Nellie Boguen-Golez, chair of the special panel of investigators, signed the order.

Prompted by Committee Report 1503, the probe followed multiple House hearings on the alleged misuse of confidential funds. The House committee on good government and public accountability, represented by Manila Rep. Joel Chua, was named as the nominal complainant in the ombudsman’s inquiry.

In addition to Duterte, five DepEd officials were named as respondents: special disbursing officers Edward Fajarda and Gina Acosta; Assistant Secretary Sunshine Charry Fajarda, Director of the Strategic Management Office; retired Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mempin, Undersecretary for Administration, and Annalyn Sevilla, Undersecretary for Finance Service.

Four OVP officials were also ordered to file counter-affidavits: chief of staff Zuleika Lopez; assistant chief of staff Lemuel Ortonio; Lt. Col. Dennis Nolasco and Col. Raymund Dante Lachica of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group.

At a press conference in San Fernando, Pampanga, Duterte rejected suggestions that the ombudsman’s action was politically motivated, a claim raised earlier by ML Party-list representative-elect Leila de Lima.

“I do not know why they acted (on the complaint) and I don’t know why they immediately acted (on the complaint). What I am saying is that my lawyers are ready to answer any charges whether it is in courts, in the Sandiganbayan or in the impeachment court,” she said.

In a related development, Ombudsman Samuel Martires sought to dispel concerns from lawmakers by clarifying that his office will defer to the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Duterte, even as it pushes forward with its preliminary investigation. — Elizabeth Marcelo