Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) has brushed off the plunder and related cases lodged against Vice President Sara Duterte and 15 others, framing the move as a politically driven effort rather than a genuine attempt to seek accountability over public funds.
In a statement released Friday following the filing of the complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman, PDP spokesperson Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said the party regarded the development with mixed reactions, describing it as both predictable and troubling.
“Amusement, because the allegations are the same rehashed and recycled fabrications from several years ago—prevarications that have been debunked time and again. The latest rebuff is the recent Commission on Audit report, which gave the Office of the Vice President the highest audit rating and provided the Vice President a clean bill of health in terms of accountability,” Topacio said.
The cases stem from accusations of misuse involving P612.5 million in confidential funds, a claim PDP insists has already been scrutinized by oversight institutions. Topacio pointed to the Commission on Audit’s findings as evidence that the Office of the Vice President complied with existing accountability standards.
He also questioned the independence of the Ombudsman, casting doubt on the integrity of the process itself. “Alarm, because only a fool would deny that the present Ombudsman is nothing but a lapdog of Malacañang, clearly capable of not only bending, but also breaking or disregarding the law to follow the commands of his trainer and master, Mr. Marcos,” he added.
Topacio further argued that those behind the complaint were selectively targeting the Vice President while ignoring what he described as more serious abuses elsewhere in government. He urged complainants to shift their attention to lawmakers, whom he accused of profiting from budget insertions allegedly facilitated by the President’s role in the national budget process.
According to the PDP spokesperson, the timing of the complaint reflects mounting political anxiety within the administration. “As the credibility and trust ratings of the administration continue to plummet, and the inevitability of a Sara Duterte presidency looms on the horizon, the panic-stricken Marcos regime will definitely pull out all stops to prevent that from happening by purely foul means,” he said.
Topacio ended by calling on the public to remain vigilant amid what he described as attempts to manipulate legal institutions for political ends. “The people should always remain alert and ready to thwart such brazen attempts to frustrate legal processes and the will of the people. Eternal vigilance, after all, is the price of freedom,” he added.
