A video on Facebook (FB) is falsely claiming that Vice President Sara Duterte is facing impeachment charges for allegedly “stealing” P125 million from a “secret budget fund” of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
No complaint against the vice president has been filed in Congress to initiate the process of impeachment.
On Aug. 26, an FB page carried the following false headline while on a live stream:
“SARA DUTERTE HAHARAP SA IMPEACHMENT DAHIL SA PAGNANAKAW NG 125-M NA SECRET BUDGET FUND (Sara Duterte will face impeachment due to stealing P125 million from a secret budget fund).”
The host was referring to talks of impeachment complaints, which have yet to be filed, against Duterte over the possible misuse of the confidential fund of the OVP in 2022.
Duterte is facing no impeachment charges. The Commission on Audit (COA) is still investigating the alleged unauthorized use of the OVP’s confidential funds.
According to the rules of procedure, to initiate the impeachment process a verified complaint must first be filed by “any Member of the House of Representatives or by any citizen upon a resolution of endorsement by any Member thereof.” Also, it can be through a resolution of impeachment filed by at least one-third (1/3) of all the Members of the House.
None of these has been complied with. Only talks of impeachment have floated so far.
Talks on the vice president’s impeachment began after ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said in an Aug. 25 press interview that the Makabayan bloc will consider impeaching the vice president if the OVP misused funds, committed technical malversation and violated the Constitution.
Castro asked COA to investigate the P125 million confidential fund of the OVP in 2022 for its possible unauthorized use during the agency’s budget hearing in an Aug. 24 House committee deliberation.
Two days later, the congresswoman said in a radio interview that talks of impeachment are “premature” and that they are still waiting for the COA report on the OVP’s confidential expenses.
FB page Civilian Anti Crime Group Brotherhood (created on March 9, 2022) published the livestream, garnering over 12,000 reactions, 220 comments, 1,000 shares and 976,000 views.
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