VP Sara Duterte hits revived plunder, graft raps as ‘fishing expedition’

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte rejected plunder and graft complaints filed against her and several former and current officials of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), calling the move “another fishing expedition” meant to justify an investigation and cover up corruption. 

In a statement posted on social media on Saturday, December 13, Duterte said her critics were weaponizing accusations "to create a semblance of procedural legitimacy for an investigation."

"Hinihikayat ko ang ating mga kababayan na maging mapanuri at huwag basta magpapadala sa mga paninira. Hindi ito tungkol sa paghanap ng katotohanan—ito ay tungkol sa pagtatakip ng nakawan sa kaban ng bayan na hanggang ngayon ay walang nananagot," she said.

(I urge our fellow citizens to be discerning and not to be easily swayed by attacks or slanders. This is not about seeking the truth—it is about covering up the theft from the national treasury for which no one has been held accountable to this day.)

Civil society leaders file complaint

The statement came after a group of civil society leaders on Friday filed a 58-page criminal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, accusing Duterte and 14 of her former and current staff of plunder over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds in 2022 and 2023. 

Records show Duterte received P500 million in confidential funds for the OVP and P112.5 million for DepEd during the period when she concurrently served as vice president and education secretary.

Aside from plunder, the complainants also accused Duterte and her staff of bribery, malversation, graft, culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. 

The latter two were among the grounds cited by the House of Representatives when it impeached Duterte earlier this year.

Alleged systematic misuse of funds

The complaint alleged that officials of the OVP and DepEd engaged in a “coordinated, deliberate system” to divert, mishandle and conceal confidential funds, resulting in the accumulation of alleged ill-gotten wealth exceeding P50 million, the threshold for plunder. 

It further claimed that both offices used “identical, systematic schemes” to circumvent laws and procedures on confidential funds, allowing transactions to evade audit scrutiny and channel money to questionable or nonexistent recipients.

Duterte dismissed the allegations, saying the filing echoed earlier inquiries by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which she described as a “full-blown fishing expedition” aimed at finding grounds for her impeachment. 

She also cited claims that signatures for her impeachment were allegedly solicited in exchange for budget allocations, a practice she said reduced the constitutional process to a “marketplace.”

Complainants, respondents

Among the main complainants who filed the plunder and criminal complaints against Duterte were members of civil society, clergy and advocacy groups. They include: 

• Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee
• Fr. Roberto Reyes, activist priest
• Teresita Quintos-Deles, former presidential peace adviser
• Sylvia Estrada Claudio, UP professor emerita
• Cielo Magno, former Finance undersecretary
• Christopher Cabahug, writer and anti-corruption advocate
• Matthew Christian Silverio, youth leader
• John Lloyd Crisostomo, youth leader

The respondents named in the complaint include current and former officials of OVP and the DepEd, who were allegedly involved in the diversion and mismanagement of confidential funds. They are as follows: 

• Zuleika Lopez, OVP Chief of Staff
• Lemuel Ortonio, OVP Assistant Chief of Staff
• Rosalynne Sanchez, OVP Director for Administrative and Financial Services
• Julieta Villadelrey, OVP Chief Accountant
• Gina Acosta, OVP Special Disbursing Officer
• Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, former Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group commander
• Michael Poa, former DepEd spokesperson
• Sunshine Fajarda, former DepEd director
• Annalyn Sevilla, former DepEd undersecretary
• Gloria Mercado, former DepEd undersecretary
• Ma. Rhunna Catalan, former DepEd chief accountant
• Edward Fajarda, former DepEd special disbursing officer
• Ret. Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mempin, former DepEd official
• Lt. Col. Dennis Nolasco, former VPSPG member

Impeachment backdrop

Duterte’s latest remarks come against the backdrop of her impeachment earlier this year, which stemmed from long-running debates over the use of confidential and intelligence funds across government. 

She has repeatedly argued that the proceedings and related inquiries were politically motivated, pointing to what she describes as attempts to remove her from office and derail her future political plans. 

Her camp has also linked the fresh charges to tensions within the administration coalition, with Duterte’s allies saying the vice president is being targeted as potential rivals position themselves ahead of the 2028 presidential race.