02/12/2024
FIRST AND HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT CASE FILED AGAINST VP SARA DUTERTE | Complaint alleges culpable violations of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
In an unprecedented move, an impeachment complaint was filed on Monday against Vice President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives, citing multiple allegations of grave misconduct and constitutional violations.
The complainants, composed of a diverse group of civil society leaders, former government officials, religious figures, and sectoral representatives, outlined four major grounds for impeachment: culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
The complainants were Teresita Quintos Deles, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, SVD, Fr. Robert Reyes, Randy Delos Santos (uncle of Tokhang victim Kian Delos Santos), Francis Aquino Dee, Leah Navarro, Sylvia Estrada Claudio, Alicia Murphy, Sr. Mary Grace De Guzman, SFIC, and former Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, among others. They were accompanied by ML partylist first nominee, and former Senator Leila De Lima, who acted as the group's spokesperson.
"The Vice President has reduced public office to a platform for violent rhetoric, personal enrichment, elitist entitlement and a shield for impunity. Her actions desecrate our institutions, and her continued grip on power insults every Filipino who stands for good governance and the rule of law," Deles said.
The impeachment complaint was endorsed by Partylist lawmaker Perci Cendaña. He said that this is a watershed in the fight for truth, justice, and accountability. "Akbayan joins this fight. We cannot allow public office to be weaponized for corruption, violence, and betrayal of trust. The Filipino people deserve leaders who serve with integrity, not rulers who exploit power for personal gain," Cendaña said.
De Lima underscored the significance of the impeachment complaint. "Public office is not a throne of privilege; it is a position of trust. Sara Duterte has desecrated that trust with her blatant abuses of power. This impeachment is not just a legal battle but a moral crusade to restore dignity and decency to public service."
The complaint asserted that Vice President Duterte has violated her constitutional oath and engaged in gross misconduct during her tenure, detailing numerous instances of corruption, abuse of power, and dereliction of duty.
Culpable Violation of the Constitution and Graft and Corruption
• Article 1: Failure to properly account for the ₱125 million in confidential funds granted to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in 2022.
• Article 2: Failure to account for over ₱650 million in additional confidential and intelligence funds for the OVP and Department of Education (DepEd) in 2023.
• Article 3: Refusal to attend budget hearings and answer questions regarding the OVP and DepEd budgets, violating the constitutional system of checks and balance.
• Article 4: Misuse of ₱2.735 billion in confidential funds during her tenure as Davao City Mayor.
• Article 5: Attempted to again request ₱500,000,000.00 and ₱150,000,000.00 of confidential and intelligence funds for the DepEd and the OVP for 2024.
• Article 6: Left DepEd with ₱12 billion in disallowances, and suspensions.
• Article 7: Nearly ₱7 billion in unliquidated cash advances during her time as DepEd Secretary.
• Article 8: Leaving over ₱15.4 billion in unutilized funds at DepEd in 2023.
• Article 9: “Rigged” bidding for laptops and other electronic devices in DepEd.
Bribery and Illegal Wealth Accumulation
• Article 10: Amassing ₽111 million in personal accounts and hundreds of millions in joint accounts with her father, Rodrigo Duterte, between 2007 and 2015.
• Article 11: Engaged in bribery and/or unexplained receipt of funds from known drug personalities.
• Article 12: Failed to report and reflect the subject bank deposits, as well as her insurance and investment accounts in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and New Worth (SALN)
• Article 13: Illegal practice of law while serving as Vice President, violating Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution.
Betrayal of Public Trust
• Article 14: Abandoning duties during Super Typhoon Carina, leaving for Germany in the midst of a crisis.
• Article 15: Failure to condemn Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
Other High Crimes
• Article 16: Direct involvement in extra-judicial killings through the Davao Death Squad during her terms as Mayor.
• Article 17: Made an implied threat against the President, the Members of Congress, the Members of the Cabinet and other Government functionaries, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and other guests who intended to attend the 3rd State Of The Nation Address (SONA).
• Article 18: Gross incompetence and dereliction of duty during her second term as Davao City Mayor, despite access to ample resources.
• Article 19: Enabling and protecting fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, accused of human trafficking and child abuse.
• Article 20: Throwing a tantrum and acting like a spoiled brat when 75 of her security contingent were recalled inspite of still having 35 soldiers and 45 police officers as security contingent.
• Article 21: Unexplained wealth as reflected in her SALNS from 2007 to 2017.
• Article 22: Receipt of substantial funds from drug personalities directly affecting moral fitness to continue serving as VP.
• Article 23: Public meltdown in October 2024 revealing her psychological incapacity and lack of mental fitness to continue holding her office.
• Article 24: Second meltdown in Nov. 24, 2024, admitting having contracted an assassin to kill high-ranking officials, including President Marcos and Speaker Romualdez, should her life be endangered. Showing the depths and/or extent of her mental incapacity, her depravity, and lack of mental fitness to continue holding the office.
The complainants called on Congress to act with urgency and impartiality to uphold the rule of law and hold Vice President Duterte accountable for the serious allegations brought against her.
"Our complaint is a clarion call to dismantle the culture of violence, corruption and impunity which were the hallmark of the Vice President. Today, we rise for those who can no longer speak for themselves, demanding that Congress take decisive action to uphold truth, justice, and accountability," Fr. Flaviano Villanueva concluded.
