Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua, chair of the House committee on good government and public accountability, stated that Vice President Sara Duterte may face impeachment due to potential misuse of funds by her office. According to Chua, Duterte’s Office of the Vice President (OVP) allocated PHP 16 million for safe houses and PHP 15 million for a youth summit, raising questions about the justification of these expenses.
Chua cited two primary concerns: first, the PHP 16 million reportedly spent on safe houses for just 11 days in December 2022. During a recent House investigation, the Commission on Audit (COA) presented this expenditure, and documentation revealed costs of around PHP 45,000 per day for each safe house. The second concern involved the PHP 15 million allocated by the Department of Education (DepEd) for a Youth Leadership Summit. The funds were justified with certifications from military officials; however, these officials later claimed they were unaware of their certifications being used for such purposes.
Chua emphasized that unless Duterte can justify these fund allocations, the alleged betrayal of public trust and anti-graft violations may serve as grounds for impeachment. COA’s Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office confirmed the OVP’s documented payment details, which have now prompted lawmakers to consider further actions if a satisfactory explanation is not provided in upcoming hearings.