The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday ordered Vice President Sara Duterte and nine others from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to respond to charges filed by the House of Representatives related to the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Duterte and the other respondents were given 10 days upon receiving the order to file their counter-affidavit.
These must be filed together with the affidavits of their witnesses, as well as other supporting documents.
“Failure to file counter-affidavit within the aforesaid period shall be deemed as a waiver of respondents’ right to submit controverting evidence, and the preliminary investigation shall proceed accordingly,” the order read.
The Ombudsman likewise said it would not entertain any motion to dismiss or motion for bill of particulars.
The order follows a House complaint against the Vice President and others earlier this week on the grounds of technical malversation, falsification, use of falsified documents, perjury, bribery, corruption of public officers, plunder, and betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.
