| 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗮, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗛
A disagreement has surfaced between the Office of the Ombudsman and the House of Representatives over the complaint involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her use of confidential funds.
The Ombudsman, through Samuel Martires, said they began the probe after receiving a complaint from the House Blue Ribbon Committee.
According to Martires the complaint involved serious charges like malversation, falsification of documents, perjury, bribery, and even plunder.
But on Saturday, the House issued a clarification.
“The House of Representatives, as an institution, did not file any complaint. Some members may have transmitted information or documents, but those were not officially endorsed by the House,” House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said.
Legal experts, including former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay and some professors from the University of the Philippines (UP), say the Ombudsman has the authority to start an investigation on its own—without needing a formal complaint—as long as there’s enough evidence pointing to possible misuse of public funds.
But others, like political analysts and governance advocates from groups such as the Ateneo School of Government, warn that the unclear source of the complaint could raise doubts among the public and affect how the investigation is perceived.
So far, VP Sara has not spoken in detail about the issue.
Her legal team released a short statement, denying the accusations and calling them “recycled political drama.”
On the other hand, opposition lawmakers are urging full transparency.
“If there’s truly nothing to hide, then let the investigation move forward. This is about accountability,” Rep. France Castro said.
Some political analysts, like Temario Rivera of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance, believe the dispute could signal internal strain between VP Sara and President Marcos—despite their public alliance.
Meanwhile, UP political scientist Jean Encinas-Franco says disagreements like this may affect how much the public trusts official investigations, especially when the conflict involves high-ranking officials.
The Ombudsman’s office has signaled that the investigation is still active, with subpoenas expected in the coming weeks.
VP Sara has not yet responded personally, but her team has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
