MANILA, Philippines — The man in charge of investigating government officials, Ombudsman Samuel Martires, just made a big decision: he will wait for the result of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial before deciding what to do with the case filed against her.
But why wait? What does this mean? Let’s break it down!
🧑⚖️ Who Is the Ombudsman and What Does He Do?
The Ombudsman is like a referee for government workers. If someone does something wrong—like steals money or lies—he checks the facts. But here’s the twist:
“We can investigate, but we can’t file charges yet,” Martires said.
So if VP Sara is found guilty by the Senate impeachment court, maybe a case will follow.
But if she’s cleared or acquitted, Martires says:
“We won’t have the power to charge her anymore.”
📝 Is the Ombudsman Trying to Interfere?
Some people wondered if the Ombudsman was trying to mess with the trial or help VP Sara. Martires firmly said no.
“We’re not stealing Congress’ job. We’re just doing ours,” he explained.
When the House of Representatives (that’s part of Congress) sent a report with serious allegations, Martires said:
“We don’t ignore reports like it’s just trash paper. We treat it seriously—as a formal complaint.”
💼 What’s the Case About?
The House said VP Sara and her team might have misused confidential government funds when she was:
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Vice President, and
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Education Secretary (DepEd)
The report was filed on June 16, 2025 and included huge accusations like:
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Plunder (stealing big amounts of money)
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Falsifying documents
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Perjury (lying under oath)
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Bribery
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Violation of the Constitution
VP Sara submitted her reply to these charges on June 27, 2025.
👥 Who Else Is Involved?
It’s not just VP Sara. Many top officials were also named, including:
🔹 From DepEd (Education Department):
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Edward Fajarda
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Gina Acosta
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Atty. Sunshine Charry Fajarda
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Retired General Nolasco Mempin
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Annalyn Sevilla
🔹 From the Office of the Vice President (OVP):
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Atty. Zuleika Lopez
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Lemuel Ortonio
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Lt. Col. Dennis Nolasco
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Col. Raymund Dante Lachia
⏳ Why the Wait Might Be Long…
Martires said this investigation may take a very long time — maybe even after he retires on July 27, 2025. He’s been Ombudsman for 7 years and was first appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Some critics said he might be trying to protect VP Sara since she’s the daughter of his old boss.
But Martires said:
“Not once did former President Duterte ever ask me for a favor.”
🧐 So What Happens Now?
Everything is now in the hands of the Senate Impeachment Court. They will decide if VP Sara is guilty or innocent of all the serious accusations.
Until then, the Ombudsman can only watch and wait.
