MANILA — Former Philippine senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV and members of a civil society group have filed plunder and graft complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, accusing her of the alleged misuse of confidential funds and other irregularities during her time as education secretary and as mayor of Davao City.

The complaints were lodged before the Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday by Trillanes and members of The Silent Majority (TSM). They cite possible violations of several laws, including the Plunder Law, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and statutes on bribery and the forfeiture of alleged ill-gotten wealth.

According to the filing, Duterte is accused of large-scale misuse of public funds, including ₱650 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), as well as ₱2.7 billion in confidential funds during her term as Davao City mayor.

The complaint also raises allegations of graft and malversation involving ₱8 billion worth of allegedly overpriced laptops during her tenure as education secretary, more than ₱12 billion in Commission on Audit disallowances at DepEd, and ₱7 billion in allegedly unliquidated cash advances.

Complainants further allege gross incompetence after only 192 classrooms were built out of a target of more than 6,000, and claim that Duterte failed to declare more than ₱2 billion in assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, which they describe as ill-gotten wealth.

Additional allegations include bribery and corruption, citing claims that Duterte received money from a drug personality while serving as mayor of Davao City, as well as betrayal of public trust and unfitness to hold public office, pointing to two public incidents in which she allegedly threatened President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a statement released during the filing, TSM founder Jocelyn Marie Acosta said the new complaint builds on an earlier case submitted by civil society groups in December 2025 over the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

She said the latest filing expands the scope to cover Duterte’s terms at DepEd and in Davao City, including allegations that she received money from individuals linked to the illegal drug trade.

“We appeal to the Ombudsman to act decisively on these complaints. Vice President Duterte must immediately answer for these crimes against the Filipino people,” Trillanes said.

The complainants have also asked the Office of the Ombudsman to recommend Duterte’s impeachment to Congress and to initiate criminal proceedings, arguing that the alleged acts fall under the grounds for accountability of public officers set out in Article XI of the 1987 Constitution.

The case adds to earlier complaints filed on December 15 by a coalition of priests, academics, rights advocates, and journalists, including Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Fr. Roberto Reyes, and economist and former Department of Finance undersecretary Dr. Maria Cielo Magno. That coalition accused Duterte of plunder, bribery, malversation, and graft over the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds.

Those complaints also named OVP undersecretary and chief of staff Zuleika Lopez, as well as other officials from the OVP and DepEd, alleging that the funds were “diverted, misused, and concealed through coordinated schemes.”

The amount cited included ₱500 million in confidential funds allocated to the OVP in 2022 and 2023, and ₱112.5 million during Duterte’s tenure as DepEd secretary from 2022 to June 2024.

In September 2024, Marikina second district representative Stella Quimbo confirmed that ₱125 million in OVP confidential funds in 2022 was spent in just 11 days, faster than initially reported.

In July 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed the impeachment complaint, ruling that it violated the Constitution’s one-impeachment-per-year rule.

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