Latest news with #Duterte
GMA Network
6 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
House panel did not file complaint vs. VP Sara before Ombudsman —spox
The House of Representatives' good government and public accountability committee did not file a criminal and administrative complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Office of the Ombudsman, the chamber said Friday. House spokesperson Princess Abante made the clarification in light of the Office of the Ombudsman's June 19 order asking Duterte to answer complaints of technical malversation, falsification, falsification of public documents, perjury, bribery, corruption of public officers, plunder, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. The Ombudsman order identified the House good government and public accountability panel as the complainant. 'Unang una, hindi ang House ang nag-file ng complaint. What the House initiated was the impeachment trial through the transmission of the Articles of Impeachment,' Abante said in a press conference. Abante said that the House only furnished Ombudsman Samuel Martires a copy of the recommendations of the panel resulting from its inquiry on the budget use of Vice President Duterte, including the disbursement of confidential funds. 'The committee report was furnished to the Ombudsman, they received it on June 16. So, it appears that the Ombudsman acted upon the recommendation of the committee. What I know is that the House or the committee itself did not file any complaint but it appears that the Ombudsman acted upon the recommendation,' Abante added. The law gives the Ombudsman the authority to conduct a motu proprio investigation, meaning it can decide to investigate allegations of corruption without a complaint filed. Asked if the House finds it suspicious that the Ombudsman identified it as a complainant even if the Ombudsman has the authority to initiate a probe even without a complainant, Abante responded with another question. 'Bakit nga, di ba? Pero again, ang sasagutin ko lang sa inyo, 'yung factual na meron ako,' Abante said. (I also wonder why. But again, I can only answer your questions based on the facts that I have.) On Thursday, the Office of the Ombudsman directed 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. On Friday, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) confirmed receipt of the order issued by the Ombudsman. Martires was appointed Ombudsman by the Vice President's father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, back on July 26, 2018. Martires' seven-year tenure as Ombudsman ends on July 26 this year. The impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte is expected to start once the 20th Congress opens on July 28. Abante said the House does not see the Ombudsman's move as something that will derail the impeachment trial of the Vice President. 'The House transmitted the articles of impeachment already. We are awaiting for the Senate to act on its duty to proceed with the impeachment trial. That is what we are focusing on,' Abante said. The Vice President is accused of betraying public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution over confidential fund misuse and threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his family. The Vice President has maintained that she has never misused public funds. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
7 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte to Filipinos in Middle East: Stay calm, listen to authorities
Vice President Sara Duterte expressed concern Friday for Filipinos working and living in the Middle East amid the escalating tensions in the region. In a video message, Duterte underscored the importance of readiness of Filipinos situated in conflict-affected areas and following the advice of authorities to ensure their safety. 'Pakinggan ang payo ng mga awtoridad para sa maayos na evacuation at iba pang mga importanteng hakbang para sa inyong kaligtasan,' the Vice President said. (Heed the advice of the authorities regarding evacuation and other important measures to ensure your safety.) 'Higit sa lahat, manatili tayong mahinahon at matatag, dala-dala ang ating pananampalataya sa Diyos at pag-asa para sa kapayapaan,' she added. (Above all, remain calm and strong, keep your faith in God, and hope for peace.) She also called on Filipinos in the Middle East to avoid indulging in fake news and make sure that they are getting information about current events from reliable media organizations. 'To all the governments involved in the conflict, we hope that you will always uphold the norms that safeguard humanity during these challenging times. Sabay sabay nating pangalagaan ang buhay at kinabukasan ng bawat Pilipino,' Duterte said. (Let's take care of the life and future of every Filipino together.) Tensions are high in the Middle East after Israel earlier launched a preemptive attack against Iran, supposedly to deter Tehran's nuclear program. The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), has called on concerned countries to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East after Israel's airstrikes on Iran. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), meanwhile, has implemented a deployment ban on new hires for Iran and Jordan. There is an existing deployment ban in Israel in the aftermath of the conflict with Hamas. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
8 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte's office receives Ombudsman order on confi funds raps
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Friday confirmed receipt of the order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman in relation to the alleged misuse of confidential funds by Vice President Sara Duterte and nine other officials. The OVP said it received the order at about 9 a.m. Friday, June 20. The Ombudsman has given 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." The order, which was issued Thursday, came after the House of Representatives filed a complaint against Duterte and several others 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 told GMA Integrated News. 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 to 2024. Earlier on Friday, the OVP said Duterte would be traveling to Australia for a personal trip and to join a June 22 protest action in Melbourne calling for the release of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. Aside from Duterte, the other respondents in the Ombudsman's order are: OVP Atty. Zuleika Lopez, Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, Assistant Secretary Assistant Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Nolasco, Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group Colonel Raymund Dante Lachia, Commander, Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, Philippine Army DepEd Edward Fajarda, Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta, Special Disbursing Officer Assistant Secretary Atty. Sunshine Charry Fajarda, Director for Strategic Management Office Retired Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mempin, Undersecretary for Administration Annalyn Sevilla, Undersecretary for Finance Service The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The seven articles of impeachment against Duterte included allegations of malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents; and bribery and corruption in the DepEd during her tenure as Education secretary, involving former DepEd officials. The Vice President has denied the allegations. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
8 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte to skip Marcos' SONA? Palace says it's her choice
Malacañang said Friday it is Vice President Sara Duterte's choice if she prefers not to attend the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. next month. "Last year, hindi rin naman din po siya dumating. At sa ating pagkakaalam, siya po ay um-attend sa isang kasalan. So, kung hindi po siya a-attend ngayon, kahit siya po ay inimbita bilang Bise Presidente, again, choice niya po iyon," Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing. (Last year, she also did not attend the SONA. She attended a wedding. So, if she will not attend the SONA this year, even if she's invited, that's her choice.) "At kung hindi niya po maririnig ang mga programa at kung ano po ang naging trabaho ng gobyerno at ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., hindi po na siguro natin kasalanan iyon. It's her choice," she added. (If she won't be able to hear the programs and the work done by the government and President Marcos Jr., that's not our fault. It's her choice.) Duterte will not be attending the fourth SONA of the President on July 28, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco revealed on Thursday. "We received this note [from her office] that she won't be attending this SONA," Velasco told reporters. Nonetheless, Velasco said the House remains prepared to receive the Vice President should she change her mind. He said that aside from a reserved seat, there will be a designated holding room for the Vice President and her immediate staff since she is considered as an institutional guest alongside heads of government agencies and justices of the Supreme Court. When she announced last year that she would not attend Marcos' third SONA, Duterte said she was appointing herself as the designated survivor. Marcos and Duterte were running mates in the 2022 national elections, campaigning on a message of unity across the country. Their relationship, however, has gone sour following investigations by the House of Representatives into the war on drugs under the administration of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as the handling of confidential funds by offices under her leadership. In June 2024, the Vice President announced her resignation as education secretary and as vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). She now faces an impeachment trial in the Senate, which is expected to begin after the 20th Congress opens in July. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
9 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Palace on VP Sara's trip to Australia: Personal or for country?
''Pang personal o pang bayan? That is the question.'' This was the reaction of Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro on Friday as regards the travel of Vice President Sara Duterte to Australia for a personal trip. Castro said it would be Duterte's choice if she prefers to travel. The Office of the Vice President (OVP) revealed that her itinerary includes attendance in the "Free Duterte Now" rally on Sunday, June 22, in Melbourne. The elder Duterte is currently detained at the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, Netherlands over charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during his administration's war on drugs. GMA News Online has reached the OVP for comment on Castro's remark but it has yet to reply as of posting time. Last week, the Vice President traveled to Kuala Lumpur for a personal trip with her family. While in Malaysia, she attended a Philippine Independence Day celebration and engaged in a program consultation with overseas Filipino workers. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
