MANILA — A coalition of civic organizations and church groups filed multiple criminal and administrative complaints on Friday against Vice President Sara Duterte and 15 former officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Office of the Vice President (OVP), accusing them of orchestrating schemes to illegally divert confidential funds totaling ₱612.5 million.

The complaint, lodged before the Office of the Ombudsman, alleges that Duterte “designed, directed, and implemented two parallel and identical schemes” within the OVP and DepEd for the unlawful disposition, diversion, and misappropriation of funds.

The respondents face charges including plunder, bribery, graft and corruption, malversation, betrayal of public trust, and culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution. The complaint claims the allegedly misused funds comprised ₱500 million from the OVP and ₱112.5 million from DepEd during Duterte’s term as education secretary.

Among the complainants are 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, activist priest Roberto Reyes, former Finance Undersecretary Maria Cielo Magno, former presidential peace adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles, UP Professor Emerita Sylvia Estrada Claudio, and youth leaders Matthew Christian Silverio and John Lloyd Crisostomo.

Fr. Villanueva urged Duterte to confront the accusations in court, saying, “If you say you are not guilty and committed no anomaly, then come and face these accusations in the proper court.”

The complaint also details alleged coordination among the respondents to divert confidential funds through similar operational sequences, which the petitioners argue constitutes criminal conspiracy.