A set of criminal charges has been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman accusing Vice President Sara Duterte and several former and current government officials of unlawfully handling hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential funds.
The complaint was filed Friday afternoon by a group drawn from civil society, bringing together clergy, academics, human rights advocates, and members of the media. Among the named complainants are Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Fr. Roberto Reyes, and economist and former Department of Finance undersecretary Dr. Maria Cielo Magno.
According to the filing, the cases stem from the alleged mishandling of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds during Duterte’s tenure at the Office of the Vice President and earlier while she was Secretary of the Department of Education from 2022 until June 2024. The complainants allege that the funds were “diverted, misused and concealed through coordinated schemes” involving both offices.
The total amount cited covers ₱500 million in confidential allocations received by the Office of the Vice President in 2022 and 2023, as well as ₱112.5 million released during Duterte’s period as head of the Department of Education.
Multiple violations were cited in the complaint, including plunder under Republic Act No. 7080 as amended by RA 7659, bribery and corruption of public officials under Articles 212 and 219 of the Revised Penal Code, malversation under Article 217 of the same code, graft under Sections 2(a) and 2(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, and betrayal of public trust under Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution.
Aside from Duterte, the respondents named include Zuleika T. Lopez, undersecretary and chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President; Lemuel G. Ortonio, assistant secretary and assistant chief of staff of the OVP; Rosalynne L. Sanchez, OVP director for administrative and financial services; Julieta L. Villadelrey, OVP chief accountant; Gina F. Acosta, special disbursing officer of the OVP; Col. Raymund Dante P. Lachica, commander of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group; and Lt. Col. Dennis Nolasco, also a member of the same security unit.
Former and current officials of the Department of Education were likewise included, among them Michael Wesley T. Poa, former undersecretary and head of the procuring entity; Sunshine Charry A. Fajarda, director of the Strategic Management Office and former assistant secretary; Undersecretary Annalyn M. Sevilla, who oversaw finance and multiple program services; Gloria Mercado, former head of the procurement entity and undersecretary for human resources and regional development; Ma. Rhunna L. Catalan, chief accountant; Edward D. Fajarda, former special disbursing officer; and retired Maj. Gen. Nolasco A. Mempin, former undersecretary for administration. Several unnamed individuals were also listed as John Does.
Questions surrounding the pace of spending had earlier surfaced in Congress. In September 2024, Marikina 2nd District Representative Stella Quimbo disclosed that the ₱125 million confidential fund allocation of the Office of the Vice President in 2022 was disbursed within 11 days, shorter than the previously reported 19-day period.
