Latest news with #P612.5
GMA Network
12 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
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
House urges VP Sara to respect budget process
House of Representatives spokesperson Princess Abante on Wednesday called on Vice President Sara Duterte to "respect" the budget process, including the congressional authority to scrutinize it. The statement comes after Duterte said on Monday that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) will submit a P733 million budget proposal for fiscal year 2026. 'Magre-request siya sa House of Representatives ng budget. Sana, nare-recognize din niya na kasama sa responsibilidad ng Kamara, 'yung hindi lang yung makapag-request siya, kundi kasama sa responsibilidad ng Kamara, suriin 'yung paggamit ng pondo na nailaan sa Office of the Vice President,' Abante told reporters. (She will request a budget, and she should recognize that the House has the responsibility not only to look at her request but also to scrutinize the budget use of her office.) 'Dapat ma-justify rin ng Office of the Vice President (OVP) yung budget na hinihingi nila. So, we will wait and see kung talagang i-recognize talaga ni Vice President Sara 'yung budget role ng House of Representatives at respetuhin 'yung proseso ng pag-approve ng budget,' Abante added. (The OVP should also be able to justify the amount they are asking for. Let's see if she respects the role of the House here and the budget process.) Likewise, Abante dismissed the Vice President's comments that congressional budget deliberations tend to shame the OVP personnel. 'Wala namang pong pinapahiya ang House of Representatives sa budget process. Kasama sa trabaho ng House to scrutinize the use of public funds. Ang importante lang, sumagot, [sumagot] ng tama,' Abante said. (There is no shaming involved here. It is part of the House's job to look at the proposed budget. What is important here is for them to answer questions and answer them appropriately.) 'This is for the Filipino people, who we are accountable to,' Abante added. During the 2025 budget deliberations, the Vice President initially showed up but refused to answer queries on disbursements of P612.5 million worth of confidential fund granted to OVP in 2022, 2023 and 2024, of which p73 million was issued notice of disallowance by the Commission on Audit. A notice of disallowance means that the expenditure is 'either irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant, or unconscionable." The House later reduced the OVP's proposed 2025 budget by P1.2 billion, a move that also gained support in the Senate. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Impeachment trial can proceed without House certification —prosecutor
The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte can legally proceed even without the certification of the House of Representatives that the 20th Congress will pursue the proceedings, one of the House prosecutors said. Zamora was referring to the Senate resolution that asked the House to certify that the impeachment complaint against the Vice President did not violate the one impeachment complaint per year threshold. The resolution also stated that the incoming 20th Congress should formally express to the Senate that it is still willing to prosecute the impeachment case. This was the same resolution adopted by the Senate, which remanded the Articles of Impeachment to the House. 'We have to remember that the proceedings can proceed independently of these requirements made by the Senate. Wala naman po sa Constitution na dapat nilang ibalik ang articles [of impeachment] at wala naman rin pong requirement na kami ay dapat mag-file ng certification,' San Juan Rep. Ysabel Zamora told reporters. (The Constitution does not provide for remanding the impeachment complaint to the House, and it does not even require us to file a certification.) The Vice President is accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes over the alleged misuse of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and for threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., his wife Liza, and Speaker Martin Romualdez. Zamora said that the endorsement of over 200 lawmakers of the fourth impeachment complaint against the Vice President last February 5 is a 'certification by itself' that the House complied with the requirements of the Constitution and of the chamber. The Constitution provides that the Senate impeachment trial 'should forthwith proceed' once a verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the members of the House. 'Yung pag-transmit po namin, that is complete and that already means that we complied with the one-third signature requirement and that we complied with the one-year period. Wala naman nakasulat sa saligang batas na kailangan namin isubmit 'yung mga [certification na] 'yon,' Zamora said. (When we transmitted the impeachment complaint, that is the compliance. The Constitution does not require us to submit any certification regarding the impeachment complaint.) 'Para po sa amin, tingin po namin na hindi po kailangan isubmit itong mga ito,' Zamora added. (As far as we are concerned, we do not need to submit these.) Likewise, Zamora said that the delay in the impeachment proceedings was never due to the House since it has been preparing to prosecute the Vice President as early as February 5, the day it impeached the Vice President. 'I want to remind everyone that from the day that we submitted the Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President, the House prosecution [team] has been preparing for trial. It is unfair for anyone to say that it's the prosecution that's causing the delay in the impeachment trial. The ball is in their court,' Zamora said. 'Now, it is just for us House prosecutors to present the evidence to the people, to the senators para sila ay makapagkonclude kung sila ay mag-aacquit o mag-coconvict. Dapat makita po muna nila ang ebidensya. Pero again, kung ang kailangan po nila ay ang certification na ipagpapatuloy ng kongreso ang pag-supporta sa impeachment, hindi na po kailangan yun. Sigurado naman po na pwedeng tumuloy sa 20th Congress ang impeachment proceedings,' Zamora added. (It is for the Senators to conclude if they will acquit or convict. But they have to see the evidence first. But when it comes to certification, it is not needed because the proceedings can lawfully cross the 20th Congress.) While it sent back the Articles of Impeachment to the House, the Senate asked the Vice President to comment on the allegations within 10 calendar days, a deadline that is set on June 21.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
11-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Senate sergeant-at-arms to serve summons for Sara Duterte
The Senate sergeant-at-arms is set to serve on Wednesday morning the writ of summons for Vice President Sara Duterte at her office in Mandaluyong City. Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Roberto Ancan will be the one to serve the summons at the Office of the Vice President (OVP), based on a Super Radyo dzBB report of Nimfa Ravelo. Once received, Duterte will be given a non-extendible period of 10 days to answer to the articles of impeachment against her. The Vice President is currently in Malaysia for a personal trip with her family. The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, on Tuesday night voted to return to the House of Representatives the articles of impeachment against Duterte without dismissing or terminating them. The motion was approved with a vote of 18 affirmative, five negative, and no abstentions. The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The seven Articles of Impeachment against Duterte include: Conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez; Malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents; Bribery and corruption in the Department of Education (DepEd) during Duterte's tenure as Education Secretary, involving former DepEd officials; Unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), with her wealth reportedly increasing fourfold from 2007 to 2017; Involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City; Destabilization and public disorder efforts, including boycotting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) while declaring herself "designated survivor," leading rallies calling for Marcos Jr.'s resignation, obstructing congressional investigations, and issuing threats against top officials; and The totality of her conduct as Vice President. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
10-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
House prosecutor: Compressing impeachment trial would deny due process
"Yung away ng magkapitbahay, hindi yan nare-resolve sa Katarungang Pambarangay in one day," San Juan City Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora said of the proposal to compress the impeachment trial into a period of less than three weeks. House impeachment prosecutor and San Juan City Representative Ysabel Maria Zamora on Tuesday said that the proposal to compress the timeline of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte would deny both sides due process—and advised Senator Robin Padilla to review the Constitution after he filed a resolution to dismiss the impeachment complaint outright. 'Senator Padilla has to maybe review the Constitution. Maybe some of his advisors should advise him on constitutional law and that you cannot kill an impeachment by mere resolution,' Zamora told reporters in an interview. Zamora also opposed Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino's resolution for a compressed impeachment trial timeline of 19 days. 'Well, for me, that compressed timeline is unacceptable. Not acceptable for the simple reason that it will deny due process to both sides,' she said. The Senate on Tuesday finally convened as an impeachment court to put Duterte on trial over seven articles of impeachment, including the question of how P612.5 million in confidential funds was spent. Zamora said two days each is not enough for the House prosecution panel and the defense to present all of their evidence. 'This is both on a procedural side and on the substantive side of due process. Ang naisip ko nga po, yung away ng magkapitbahay, hindi yan nare-resolve sa Katarungang Pambarangay in one day [A dispute among neighbors cannot be resolved by the barangay justice system in one day]. What more an impeachment case against the Vice President where we have numerous voluminous documents or evidence to present. So we have to give both parties their right to due process,' she said. She also revealed that for five hours on Monday, the House prosecution panel practiced the reading of the Articles of Impeachment by House prosecutor and Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro and responding to possible questions that will be raised by the senators. About 15 private prosecutors joined the House prosecutors during the rehearsal, she added. Meanwhile House spokesperson Princess Abante said the House welcomed Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero's taking his oath as the impeachment court's presiding officer on Monday evening. "Ginalaw na po ang baso [They have made their presence felt]," she said. 'The House of Representatives welcomes this development… Nakinig na po ang Senado sa mga pahayag, hindi lang ng Kamara, kundi ng iba't ibang sektor ng lipunan [The Senate has listened to the calls, not just by the Congress, but by different sectors of society].' On Padilla's resolution to dismiss the impeachment complaint, Abante said, 'The Speaker has always said that he leaves it to the discretion of the Senate on how they will act on the impeachment trial. But there are various experts, both from the academe and the legal sectors, that state [that] the senator-judges cannot move to dismiss the trial on their own.' 'Ang hiling lang po natin, maging faithful sila sa alituntinin ng Konstitusyon [Our only request is that they remain faithful to the rules of the Constitution]. Because in a society that follows the rule of law, the Constitution will always be supreme,' Abante added. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos has also said that it is clear the impeachment proceedings will cross over from the current 19th Congress to the 20th Congress. 'Naging senator-judge din si President Bongbong Marcos. I understand where he's coming from. Ang importante sa Kamara ngayon, masimulan ang impeachment trial [President Marcos has been a senator-judge important is that the impeachment trial begin],' Abante said. 'Ang nakalagay naman sa Konstitusyon ay to try and decide. Hindi naman sinabi roon kung anong Congress ang magde-decide. Ang sinasabi ay simulan at tapusin at magbigay ng desisyon ang Senado,' she explained. (What it says in the Constitution is to try and decide. It does not say which Congress will decide. What it says is to begin the trial, end the trial, and hand down the Senate's decision.) Abante also said Vice President Duterte's present personal trip abroad will not derail the proceedings. 'I believe the impeachment rules have, meron naman siyang nakalagay kung paano ang pag-serve at notify sa accused. Ang requirement kasi diyan is personal service pero meron din naman sa rules if personal service cannot be made. Ang importante, simulan na ng Senado ang trial para alam na rin natin kung ano na yung mga susunod na hakbang ng prosecutors at ano na ang mangyayari sa impeachment process,' Abante stressed. (I believe the impeachment rules have a provision on how the accused may be notified. the requirement is personal service but there are also rules for when personal service cannot be made. What's important is that the Senate being the trial so that we the prosecutors will know the next steps to take and what will happen in the impeachment process.) Abante declined to comment on the Duterte defense team's allegations that the impeachment complaint is flawed, saying this is already the subject of the Vice President's petition before the Supreme Court challenging the House impeachment. Abante also defended the House of Representatives from Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero's pronouncements that the House also dilly-dallied on the impeachment complaints. 'I believe the House of Representatives did its job in a timely and decisive manner. Again, [the role of the] House of Representatives is to receive the complaint, to verify the complaint as to its form, substance and grounds, to make sure that it will be properly passed by the correct number of members of the House of Representatives, and it will be transmitted to the Senate. All these were done by the House of Representatives in a timely and decisive manner. Kung gaano katagal o kung gaano kabilis, hindi na yan kasama sa kailangang alalahanin ng Senado. Ang kailangang alalahanin ng Senado ay ang kanilang tungkulin sa impeachment process ayon sa Konstitusyon. Sabi ng Konstitusyon, proceed forthwith,' Abante said. (However long or quickly it took, it's not part of what the Senate must remember, and that is it is their duty according to the Constitution to proceed with the trial forthwith.) Asked for her reaction to Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's claim that the country will be further divided by an impeachment trial, Abante replied, 'Well, ang impeachment trial, provided 'to ng Constitution. Merong mga dahilan para pagdaanan ito. Kung siguro unnecessary ang mga impeachment proceedings in all governments, dapat wala ito sa Constitution, di ba? So ako, tingin ko, kailangan munang masimulan at ang ating mga Senator-judges, makinig doon sa paglahad ng mga ebidensya and they will have the opportunity to decide on the case.' (An impeachment trial is provided for in the Constitution. There are reasons why it must be undertaken. If impeachment proceedings are unnecessary, than it wouldn't be in the Constitution, right? So, as I see it, the trial must first begin and the senator-judges must listen to the evidence as it is laid out and they will have the opportunity to decide on the case.) — BM, GMA Integrated News
