New complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte and 15 others over alleged mishandling of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds could serve as grounds for a fresh impeachment complaint in February 2026, a group and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Representative Leila de Lima said Saturday.
The complainants, including Student Council Alliance of the Philippines secretary general Matthew Silverio, allege plunder, graft, bribery, and malversation involving Duterte, Office of the Vice President chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez, and former DepEd Undersecretary Michael Poa.
“Puwedeng both. Very strong… ang ebidensya. Puwedeng mauwi sa dalawang yun – kaso sa Sandiganbayan at impeachment,” Silverio said.
He added, “If gagalaw talaga ang Ombudsman, makikita natin na itong mga allegations at yung mga evidence na pinrisenta namin ay malakas.”
De Lima echoed the statement, noting the complaints present stronger and more focused evidence.
“’Ito, nakatukoy, nakasentro sa misus or alleged misuse of those confidential funds and overall grounds pa rin siya ng impeachment,” she said.
Earlier, VP Sara described the plunder complaint as a “fishing expedition” to give a semblance of procedural legitimacy.
De Lima countered, saying, “Mayroon pang nadagdag sa mga ebidensya na yun. How can that be considered a fishing expedition? These are voluminous evidence.”