The Office of the Ombudsman has directed Vice President Sara Duterte and nine others from the Department of Education and Office of the Vice President to respond to the charges filed by the House of Representatives in connection with the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
In an order issued on Thursday and furnished to GMA Integrated News, the Ombudsman gave Duterte and the other respondents ten days from receipt of the order to file their counter-affidavits “together with the affidavit/s of their witness/es, and other supporting documents.”
“Failure to file counter-affidavit within the aforesaid period shall be deemed as a waiver of respondents’ right to submit controverting evidence, and the preliminary investigation shall proceed accordingly,” the order said.
The Ombudsman said it would not entertain any motion to dismiss or motion for bill of particulars.
The order came after the House filed a complaint against Duterte and several others on Monday for plunder, technical malversation, falsification, use of falsified documents, perjury, bribery, corruption of public officers, betrayal of public trust, and culpable violation of the Constitution, a source said.
The complaint stemmed from the recommendation of the House Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability to file charges against Duterte for the alleged misuse of P500 million in confidential funds of the OVP and P112.5 million in confidential funds of DepEd from 2022-2024.
Also named respondents were Edward Fajarda, Special Disbursing Officer; Gina Acosta, Special Disbursing Officer; Asst. Secretary Atty. Sunshine Charry Fajarda, Director for Strategic Management Office; retired Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mempin, Undersecretary for Administration; and Annalyn Sevilla, Undersecretary for Finance Service—all from DepEd.
Those charged from the OVP were Atty. Zuleika Lopez, Undersecretary and Chief of Staff; Lemuel Ortonio, Asst. Secretary and Asst. Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Dennis Nolasco, Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group; and Col. Raymund Dante Lachia, Commander, Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, Philippine Army.
Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds is also one of the issues raised by the House in its impeachment complaint before the Senate. She has denied the allegations. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
