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Philippine VP Sara Duterte rejects plunder, graft complaints over misuse of funds
In a statement, the Office of the Vice President said the complaints were part of what it described as a continuing effort to manufacture grounds for impeachment
- PUBLISHED: Sat 13 Dec 2025, 9:55 AM
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday (December 13) rejected plunder and graft complaints filed against her and 15 others, calling the cases “another fishing expedition” aimed at covering up corruption and the misuse of public funds.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) said the complaints were part of what it described as a continuing effort to manufacture grounds for impeachment.
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The OVP recalled that last year, the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability launched what it called a “full-blown fishing expedition” in search of allegations that could be used against the Vice President. It also pointed to earlier claims that impeachment signatures were allegedly sought in exchange for budget allocations — a practice some lawmakers have since acknowledged.
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"Several lawmakers themselves recently confirmed how the constitutional process was being cheapened and reduced to a marketplace," the statement read. "Another fishing expedition is now being launched, as they scramble to weaponise any accusation they can manufacture just to create a semblance of procedural legitimacy for an investigation."
Duterte urged the public to be discerning and not be swayed by criticism, saying the issue was “not about finding the truth” but about diverting attention from alleged corruption involving public funds for which, she said, no one has yet been held accountable.
"Let us continue being strong in the face of the economy's decline and the unrelenting increase in the prices of goods. Let us continue praying for peace.
"Rest assured that the Office of the Vice President will continue to deliver efficient, accessible, and responsive public service for the good of all Filipinos," the statement concluded.
Plunder and graft complaints were filed on Friday against Duterte and 15 officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the OVP over the alleged misuse of Php612.5 million in confidential funds.
In addition to plunder and graft, the complaints include allegations of malversation and other related offenses, citing the supposed misuse of confidential funds from 2022 to 2023.
They said that despite lengthy and repeated congressional inquiries, the Vice President has refused to explain where her office spent such amounts of public funds.
