"Impeaching Sara Duterte is essential to hold a public official accountable for serious offenses that have undermined public trust," said Palatino. He cited Duterte's questionable spending of confidential funds in 2022 and 2023, irregularities in fund distribution during her tenure as education secretary, and her refusal to address these issues during budget hearings as sufficient grounds for her removal from office.
Palatino added that impeachment is critical to promoting transparency and accountability in government, serving as a warning to corrupt officials that being elected does not grant immunity from serious misconduct. He referenced the August 27 House appropriations committee hearing, where Duterte either declined to defend the OVP’s budget in a Q&A format or claimed coordination with the Commission on Audit regarding the notice of disallowance.
The panel was reviewing the OVP’s proposed budget for 2025, which Duterte argued should be the primary focus of the discussions. However, lawmakers emphasized that understanding how the OVP utilized funds from previous years is essential and relevant to shaping the budget for the upcoming year.
Duterte and her team also missed the following appropriations panel hearing and were absent from the plenary debates scheduled for Monday. Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan mentioned that although the House was prepared to discuss the OVP’s proposed budget at 10:00 a.m., the representative sent by the OVP did not have a letter of authority.
"Instead of taking responsibility and providing a proper explanation for the misuse of her office's funds, Duterte attacked her critics and employed diversionary tactics to avoid accountability," Palatino said.
He added, "Duterte treated public funds like a personal trust fund, using them for political gain. She committed these offenses while the country faces widespread hunger and poverty, all while portraying herself as a dedicated public servant. Such dishonesty and unethical behavior make her unfit to remain in office."
Earlier, protestors gathered in front of the Batasang Pambansa complex’s South Gate, calling for Duterte’s impeachment. Palatino indicated that more protests are planned for the week.
Duterte and the OVP have faced scrutiny after budget hearings in the House revealed concerns about the OVP's confidential funds in 2022 and 2023, as well as alleged irregularities in project implementation. House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe stated that Duterte could face graft charges if she fails to explain how the funds were spent, particularly those flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).
The COA had issued a notice of disallowance for P73.2 million out of the OVP's P125-million confidential fund for 2022 — an allocation that lawmakers noted should not have existed, as the original budget under former vice president Leni Robredo did not include it. This led the House committee on good government and public accountability to investigate the OVP’s budget spending further.
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