Facebook and YouTube posts claim that the Ombudsman has convicted Vice President Sara Duterte and ordered her imprisonment. This is false.
The Ombudsman has just started its preliminary investigation into Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds based on the findings of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability. Ombudsman Samuel Martires said his office can only investigate but not prosecute the vice president, being an impeachable official. He said it can proceed to prosecution if the impeachment court renders a conviction.
Uploaded last June 26, the post bore a graphic that read:
“KAKAPASOK LANG! CONGRESS INUTUSAN NA ANG OMBUDSMAN. OMBUDSMAN NAGDESISYON NA. VP SARAH DUTERTE NAIYAK IMPEACH AT KULONG ANG HATOL!
(Just in! Congress ordered the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman decided. VP Sara Duterte cried, impeached and imprisoned)!”
A YouTube video echoed the same claim with its headline saying:
“OMBUDSMAN INUTUSAN NA! GRABE PBBM GINULAT VP SARA! CONVICTED SA PWESTO? KULONG AT IMPEACHMENT!
(Ombudsman was ordered! PBBM shocked VP Sara. Convicted in office? Jailed and impeachment)!”
The Ombudsman has not decided on the case involving the vice president. On June 19, it gave Duterte and her subordinates 10 days to respond to the alleged corruption, technical malversation, falsification of public documents, perjury, bribery, plunder, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution that she supposedly committed as vice president and secretary of education.
The House of Representatives has clarified that it is not a complainant in the case, saying that it merely furnished the Ombudsman a copy of the committee report adopted by the House, recommending the filing of charges against Duterte.
The Ombudsman has no power to impeach the vice president and dismiss her from office. This function lies solely in Congress, with the House initiating an impeachment and the Senate conducting trial as an impeachment court.
The anti-corruption watchdog also cannot order the imprisonment of any individual. It may only file charges against a public official or impose sanctions such as suspension, reprimand, demotion, dismissal and payment of fines.
Posted by FB pages Artista Aura, B.Radiant Charm and VH Spotlight Hub, the erroneous graphic has so far received 1,083 interactions. The video posted by YouTube channel Boss Balita TV garnered 24,788 interactions.
