Sara Duterte, 15 officials hit with plunder complaints, accused of fund misuse

National

PRIESTS, economists, and anti-corruption advocates have filed plunder and graft complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte and 15 other officials, alleging the misuse of P612 million in confidential government funds during her tenure in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

The complaints were submitted at the Office of the Ombudsman by a coalition of civic leaders, who brought extensive documents as evidence.

They accused the OVP and DepEd of operating a “systematic scheme” to divert funds through vouchers, blind certifications, cash encashments, handovers to unauthorized personnel, and fabricated receipts.

The complainants said disbursement vouchers were unsupported and certifications signed without review. Entire cash advances were allegedly handed to unauthorized Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers, while many receipts bore fabricated names like “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Nova,” and “Oishi,” with identical handwriting or dates when no funds were available. AFP officers later testified they never received the funds.

Sworn statements from former DepEd undersecretary Gloria Mercado and chief accountant Ma. Rhunna Catalan said they received monthly cash envelopes of up to P50,000 from Sunshine Fajarda, who claimed the money came from the OVP.

The complainants argued that these actions constituted malversation, concealment of public spending, and betrayal of public trust.

Among the complainants were Magsaysay Awardee Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, running priest Fr. Roberto Reyes, former presidential peace adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles, former Department of Finance undersecretary and economist Maria Cielo Magno, and youth leaders Matthew Christian Silverio, John Lloyd Crisostomo, and anti-corruption advocate Christopher Cabahug.

“Her indiscriminate misuse of public funds without fear of accountability is outright criminal and a perfect example of the betrayal of public trust,” Villanueva said in a Philstar report. He called on the Ombudsman to hold Duterte accountable for hundreds of millions in confidential funds.

Duterte’s alleged misuse of funds was previously cited in a House impeachment complaint, which the Supreme Court struck down in July for violating the one-year bar rule. Petitioners said the current complaint represents one of several legal remedies to ensure accountability.

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) dismissed the complaints as a “political stunt,” claiming they aimed to distract from alleged corruption in the House and block Duterte’s potential presidential ambitions. Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro countered that the petitioners, critics of President Marcos Jr., fabricated stories to divert attention from alleged corruption involving VP Sara.

Separately, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante urged the Ombudsman and House committees to investigate allegations by Ramil Lagunoy Madriaga that Duterte’s 2021-2022 campaign was funded by Philippine offshore gaming operators and drug dealers.(MyTVCebu)