The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability has recommended the filing of multiple criminal, civil, and administrative cases against Vice President Sara Duterte and other accountable officials over the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
In a committee report presented to the plenary and subsequently adopted by the House of Representatives, the panel outlined a wide array of proposed charges. These include technical malversation, falsification of documents involving questionable acknowledgment receipts, perjury, and bribery in connection with cash envelopes reportedly received by three DepEd personnel.
Further charges recommended by the committee include corruption, plunder, betrayal of public trust, and culpable violation of the Constitution. The gravity of the findings has prompted calls for deeper accountability from the country’s second-highest official and other individuals linked to the alleged irregularities.
The recommendations stem from an extensive probe spanning eight hearings, which scrutinized the utilization of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the OVP and DepEd during Duterte’s concurrent tenure as vice president and education secretary from 2022 to 2023.
Beyond recommending legal action, the committee also urged the revision of Joint Circular 2015-01, a regulation that governs the use, handling, reporting, and auditing of confidential and intelligence funds. Lawmakers stressed the need for stronger safeguards and transparency in fund utilization to prevent potential abuse of public resources in the future.
The House investigation was launched following questions raised over the swift disbursement and vague documentation of the multi-million peso confidential funds. Key points of concern included discrepancies in financial records and the alleged issuance of questionable receipts tied to confidential expenses.
While Vice President Duterte has previously denied any wrongdoing and insisted that all expenditures were lawful and properly accounted for, the committee’s findings suggest otherwise, raising serious legal and ethical implications for her office and associated agencies.
As the case proceeds to the next legal stages, the public and various watchdog groups are closely monitoring whether charges will be formally filed by appropriate agencies and whether reforms to safeguard confidential funds will be enacted to ensure greater fiscal responsibility in government operations.