Ombudsman Samuel Martires pushed back against the House of Representatives’ claim that it did not file a complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, questioning why his office received a detailed committee report if no formal charges were meant to be filed.
In a Saturday interview, Martires challenged the logic: “If they didn’t file a case, then why did they send us their investigation report? Are we supposed to use it as scratch paper?” He added that his office wasn’t even involved in the House-led investigation and shouldn’t have been sent documents unless action was expected.
This comes after House spokesperson Princess Abante clarified that the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability did not file any criminal or administrative case. Instead, they simply forwarded their findings to the Ombudsman following their budget probe into Duterte’s use of confidential funds.
Martires, however, maintained that the report was treated as a valid complaint, citing precedent cases involving the Senate and asserting that the House committee, chaired by Representative Joel Chua, was appropriately listed as the complainant. He said the endorsement came directly from the Secretary General of the House, affirming that the report was formally adopted.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier issued an order for Duterte to respond to allegations including plunder, technical malversation, and violations of the Constitution.
Despite the confusion, Martires confirmed that the investigation into Duterte’s actions will proceed. “Why send us a report if we’re not expected to act on it?” he said.
If the House refuses to cooperate, the Ombudsman warned they may consider citing members in contempt. Still, Martires emphasized the constitutional responsibility of his office to act on all complaints received, regardless of how they were delivered.
He also assured that Vice President Duterte will have the opportunity to submit a counter affidavit, and once received, the House will be informed and may be asked to file a formal reply. Should they decline, the case will be decided based on existing documents.
“We’re not yet at the stage of determining probable cause. But there’s enough in the report for us to request a response,” Martires said, adding that the probe remains open until all sides are heard.