HOUSE leaders on Sunday vowed to press for Vice President Sara Duterte’s accountability for the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, despite the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that struck down the impeachment complaint against her on procedural grounds.
Deputy Speakers Paolo Ortega V of La Union and Jay Khonghun of Zambales made the pledge after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. stated that the Supreme Court (SC) ruling declaring the impeachment complaint against VP Duterte unconstitutional did not resolve her accountability.
“I agree with the President. The Supreme Court decision delved on procedural issues but not on the alleged misuse of CIFs received by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education when she was education secretary,” said Ortega, a stalwart of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).
“The accountability part was not resolved, so we intend to continue asking her to account for those funds and answer for how they have been handled or mishandled,” he said.
Ortega quoted the SC decision: “Our ruling does not absolve petitioner VP Sara Duterte from any of the charges. Any ruling on the charges against her can only be accomplished through another impeachment process, followed by a trial and conviction by the Senate.”
Khonghun, another stalwart of Lakas-CMD, said the President’s statement jibes with the pronouncement of the SC that it did not touch on VP Duterte’s accountability in its ruling.
“The people should understand this: the entire 93-page ruling tackled the impeachment process and rules in the House of Representatives. It did not absolve VP Duterte of culpability in the use of P612.5 million received by her offices,” Khonghun said.
“In other words, the Vice President is not yet off the hook on the use of this large amount of taxpayers’ money. We will pursue accountability on her part wherever it takes us,” he said.
Khonghun pointed out that social media posts making it appear that the high court has absolved the Vice President “are false.”
“The Duterte camp’s trolls and disinformation peddlers are busy at work again,” he added.
Ortega and Khonghun said they hoped the SC would reverse its ruling and allow the impeachment trial to proceed.
“If the decision remains, then we will have to discuss after February 6, 2026 how to pursue accountability on the part VP Sara Duterte for her mishandling of P612.5 million in confidential funds in 2022 and 2023,” Ortega said.
Under the SC ruling, February 6 is the end of the one-year period during which another impeachment complaint cannot be filed against the Vice President.
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