03/12/2024
THE FIRST IMPEACHMENT CASE AGAINST SARA DUTERTE, A SUMMARY
Grounds (4):
a. The Respondent is guilty of culpable violation of the constitution and of graft and corruption
b. The Respondent is guilty of bribery and culpable violation of the constitution
c. The Respondent is guilty of betrayal of public trust
d. The Respondent is guilty of higher grounds
Twenty Four (24) Articles:
1. The Respondent failed to properly account for the Php 125,000,000.00 in confidential and intelligence (CIF) funds to the OVP in 2022.
2. The Respondent likewise failed and/or refused to account for the P150,000,000.00 and P500,000,000.00 confidential and intelligence funds she received for the DepEd and the OVP in 2023
3. The Respondent’s adamant refusal to answer questions regarding the proposed budget of the OVP and her previous handling of the DepEd funds and her deliberate refusal to attend both the Committee and Plenary hearings of House of Representatives on the 2025 budget of the OVP clearly amount to her open display of her defiance and disrespect of the budget process and the system of Checks and Balance built into the Constitution, for which is clearly tantamount not only to her betrayal of public trust but likewise culpable violation of the Constitution.
4. The Respondent received and squandered scandalous amount P2,735,000,000.00 in confidential and intelligence funds during her three (3) terms as Mayor of Davao City.
5. The Respondent also attempted to again request for P500,000,000.00 and P150,000,000.00 of confidential and intelligence funds for the DepEd and the OVPfor 2024.
6. The Respondent left the Department of Education with more than Twelve Billion Pesos (P12,000,000,000.00) disallowances, suspensions and charges.
7. The Respondent left DepEd with nearly Seven Billion Pesos (P7,000,000,000.00) in unliquidated cash advances.
8. The Respondent left well over Fifteen Billion Four Hundred Million Pesos (P15,400,000.00) in unutilized funds in 2023.
9. The "rigged" bidding of laptops and other electronic devices during Respondent's time as DepEd Secretary.
10. The Respondent accumulated unexplained and ill-gotten wealth and engaged in money-laundering involving m o r e than P111,000,000.00 deposited to her personal accounts and hundreds of millions deposited to an account she held jointly with her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, from 2007 to 2015, which is clearly disproportionate to their legitimate incomes during the period.
11. The Respondent and members of her immediate family were engaged in bribery and/or in the unexplained receipt of hundreds of millions of funds from known drug personalities.
12. The Respondent 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), as required by the Constitution and existing laws.
13. The Respondent likewise engaged in the illegal practice of her profession as a lawyer by maintaining her Law Office during her incumbency a s Vice-President, indirect violation of Article VI, Section 13 of the Constitution.
14. The Respondent abandoned the people during the height of Super Typhoon Carina, and took a flight to Germany at a time of public need, constitutes a betrayal of the trust reposed upon her by the public and a ground for her impeachment from Office.
15. The Respondent's failure and/or refusal to condemn the acts of a foreign aggressor which has constantly and consistently used force, violence and other bullying tactics against our soldiers and fisherfolks in the West Philippine Sea,as well a s in the Ayungin and Panatag Shoals and within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), also amounts to betrayal of public trust, for which Respondent can likewise be impeached from Office.
16. The Respondentwas directly involved in the Extra-Judicial Killings (EJKs) perpetuated by the Davao Death Squad (DDS) in Davao City at the time she was Mayor from 2011 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2022. The same amounts to "Other High Crimes" which
can serve as a valid ground for her impeachment.
17. The Respondent's act of making an implied threat against the President, theMembers of Congress, the Members of the Cabinet and other Government functionaries, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and other guests who intended to attend the 3d State Of The Nation Address (SONA) of Pres. Ferdinand "Bong-Bong" Marcos, Jr., last July 22, 2024 likewise constitute another high crime, for which she can be likewise impeached.
18. The Respondent's gross incompetence and failure to address the basic concerns of her constituents during her last two (2) terms as Mayor of Davao City despite the enormous resources available at her disposal during the term of her father as President, and her brother as Senior Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2022, amounts to her dereliction of duty and could be considered as another "High Crime", for which she can likewise be impeached from Office.
19. Respondent's acts of coddling, defending and otherwise acting as an enabler of disgraced and fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a person indicted of human trafficking, s*x trafficking of minors and/or child abuse both in the Philippines and abroad, contrary to her sworn duties as Vice-President a n d one of the highest leaders of the country, is tantamount to "Other High
Crimes", for which she can be impeached from Office.
20. The Respondent should be made to explain and account for her act of throwing a tantrum a n d acting like a spoiled child when seventy-five (75) of the Police Personnel assigned to her security contingent were recalled to boost the PNP's police visibility despite the fact that she had well over three hundred and fifty (350) soldiers and at least forty-five (45) remaining Police officers in her security contingent, thus, showing her sense of entitlement and bloated sense of self-worth.
21. Respondent must be made to account for her unexplained wealth as reflected in her SALN from 2007 to 2017 not, failing which she should be impeached from office for accumulating ill-gotten wealth, which can be considered as a case of "Other High Crimes" under Section 2, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution.
22. The Respondent and her immediate family members' receipt of substantial funds from, and / or association with, known drug personalities, and their alleged involvement in drug smuggling directly affects her moral fitnessto continue serving as Vice-President of the Republic.
23. Respondent's public melt-down during her p r e s s conference on October 18, 2024 revealed her psychological incapacity and/or lack of mental fitness to continue holding the sensitive office of the Vice-President of the Philippines, for which she can
be impeached on the ground of betrayal of public trust and other high crimes.
24. During the Respondent's second public melt-down a t an online press conference held in the early morning hours of 24 November 2024, Respondent publicly admitted that she engaged and contracted the services of an assassin to ensure that the President, his wife, Mrs. Liza Araneta Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez, will be killed in case she is killed, thus, showing the depths and/or extent of Respondent's mental incapacity, her depravity and lack of mental fitness to continue holding the high Office of Vice- President of the Philippines.The same constitute not only betrayal of public trust but also a High Crime which would warrant her immediate impeachment from Office.
Complainants: Teresita Quintos Deles, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva SVD, Gary Alejano, Francis Joseph A. Dee, Alicia Murphy, Eugene Louie Gonzales, Fr. Roberto Reyes, Sylvia Estrada Claudio, Leah Navarro, Rowena Amon, Randy Delos Santos, Filomena Cinco, Teodoro Lopez, SR. Susan Santos SFIC, Sr. Mary Grace De Guzman SFIC, Ma. Yvonne Jereza
Endorsed by: Rep. Cedaña
Note: All taken from the 51 page impeachment complaint, reserving my reaction in a separate post.
