Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)

It's only "logical" for impeachment complaints to be pursued against Vice President Sara Duterte after the House Blue Ribbon Committee's investigation on her alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds.

Thus, said Assistant Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, who on Friday, Jan. 3 welcomed the mounting impeachment complaints agaisnt the second highest-ranked official of the land. 

“Ako (Me), personally, I welcome all these impeachment complaints," Acidre told House reporters. 

"Matagal, ilang buwan ang ginugol natin para maimbestigahan ‘yung mga katiwalian sa Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo (OVP) at doon po sa Department of Education (DepEd) noong siya ay secretary," he noted.

(It took a while, we spent months investigating the corruption under the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education when she was still the secretary.)

"We only see impeachment as the logical and the proper outcome and form of accountability for the Vice President,” Acidre said.

Last December, a total of three impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte were filed before the House of Representatives, particularly at the Secretary General's office. All three were duly endorsed by sitting House members.

In one way or another, the grounds for impeachment cited by the three complaints contained references to the findings of the House Blue Ribbon Committee--officially named the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability. 

Chaired by Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua, the panel carried out eight marathon hearings for the purpose of finding out what happened to the P612.5 million secret funds from the OVP and DepEd. 

The panel conducted its last hearing on the matter last Dec. 9, when at least one congressman, House Deputy Majority Leader La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V outright accused Vice President Sara Duterte of "pocketing" the confidential funds allocated to her office.

The House inquiry covered disbursements from the two agencies in 2022 and 2023.

“Dalawang Pasko ang lumipas na nilustay niya at kasabwat niya ang pera ng bayan. Para siyang Santa Claus ng OVP at DepEd na namimigay ng pera na pinaghirapan ng taumbayan,” Ortega said of the lady official.

(For two Christmases, she and her accomplices have wasted public funds. She's like the Santa Claus of OVP and DepEd who gives away the money that the people worked hard for.)

“Pero hindi lang pinapamigay, mukhang binubulsa pa. In short, yumayaman si VP Sara at ang kaniyang mga kasamahan, habang marami pa ang kumakapit pa rin sa patalim," he added.

(But it wasn't just given away, it appears to have been pocketed too. In short, VP Sara and her companions are getting rich, while many of the less fortunate remain in a precarious position.)