Lawyer Amando Ligutan poses at the filing of a thrid impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, which cites betrayal of public trust as grounds for impeachment. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Several Catholic priests, religious groups and lawyers filed on Thursday the third impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in connection to the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan represented the complainants in submitting the complaint before the Office of House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.

Among those listed as complainants are six priests from the Diocese of Novaliches, Order of Carmelites and Congregation of Mission, leaders of non-government organizations Stop Corruption Philippines and Stand up for God Rosary Group, the Union of Peoples' Lawyers in Mindanao and a lawyer.

"We are citing culpable violation of the constitution. We are also invoking betrayal of public Trust, plunder, malversation, technical malversation and bribery," Ligutan said.

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"This is primarily based on how the Office of the Vice President, how the sitting Vice President of the public disbursed the millions of pesos in 11 days without proper documentation," he added.

Ligutan said the complaint is endorsed by Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Colada.

Bordado is the running-mate of former Vice President Leni Robredo, who is running for mayor of Naga City. Colada is currently a House deputy minority leader.

Duterte has denied allegations of irregularities in the use of confidential funds at the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education that she led until July this year.

She has also said these allegations, which have been the subject of House hearings, are part of an attempt to discredit her ahead of the 2028 elections, when she is projected to run for president.

“I welcome that. Finally, na-file na yung impeachment case na sinasabi nilang i-file nila since last year pa,” Duterte said on December 10 after the first complaints were filed against her.

Duterte ‘welcomes’ impeachment complaints against her

“At least kung mayroon tayong impeachment case, masagot na ang final kung ano yung mga ina-accuse nila sa akin,” she said.

'A MORAL OBLIGATION'

One of the complainants, Fr. Joselito Sarabia was present at the filing on Thursday.

"We believe VP Sara committed something illegal and something immoral against the Filipino people. For us, thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal, thou shall not bear false witness," he said.

The grounds for impeachment are based on the findings of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

The panel has been looking into the alleged misuse of the confidential funds worth P125 million of the Office of the Vice President in 2022 and P112.5 million of the Department of Education in 2023.

These grounds are similar to the first two impeachment complaints endorsed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña and by lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc.

"What makes it different is the complainants in this case are arguing that it's no longer just a constitutional and legal obligation of the members of Congress to impeach and to remove from office the Vice President. That obligation now becomes a moral one," Ligutan said.

They asserted that Duterte committed plunder through malversation because she is a public and accountable officer who has custody of the public funds.

"Her continuous failure to submit documentary evidence of payment of rewards or proof that her information gathering was successful evidenced inexcusable negligence on the Vice President’s part to ensure that the Filipino people’s money was properly spent," the complaint read.

"When asked to substantiate her claim or certifications, she constantly failed to satisfy COA and the public that she conducted legitimate activities using the confidential funds. Worse, she deliberately concealed the fact that no information gathering or surveillance activities actually took place," it added.

DEPED 'CORRUPTION'

The complaint also included Duterte's alleged "corrupting and bribing" of DepEd officials.

The basis for this ground was the admission of several DepEd officials during House hearings that they received envelopes with cash inside allegedly from Duterte.

Among those who supposedly got envelopes are former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Mercado, DepEd Director IV and former Bids and Awards Committee Chairperson Atty. Resty Osias and DepEd Chief Accountant Ma. Rhunna Catalan.

DepEd chief accountant admits receiving envelopes during Sara Duterte's term

The lawyer said the complaint was only filed now because they wanted to wait for the termination of the hearings on the confidential funds issue.

In a statement, Rep. Bordado emphasized the need to uphold the rule of law and protect the integrity of democratic institutions.

“This decision is not made lightly but with a deep sense of responsibility to ensure accountability at the highest levels of government,” he said.

Bordado emphasized that the move is not a partisan attack but a constitutional mechanism to address significant breaches of public trust.

In a text message, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said the first two impeachment complaints are still with his office.

Velasco said their legal team is reviewing the third complaint, similar to the first two.

The Office of the Secretary General will only transmit to the Office of Speaker Martin Romualdez verified impeachment complaints.

The House Speaker then has a maximum of 10 session days to include a verified impeachment complaint in the plenary's order of business and a maximum of three session days to refer it to the Committee on Justice.

Congress adjourned for a month-long break on Wednesday and will resume session on January 13,2025.