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/BAP, GMA Integrated News