MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio has refused to engage in a public confrontation with National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag, dismissing him as a “nobody” as the Office of the Ombudsman evaluates the bureau’s findings on alleged discrepancies in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
Speaking to reporters in Zamboanga City on Friday, Duterte-Carpio rejected Matibag’s challenge to file a formal complaint against him if she believed he had acted with bias or committed wrongdoing in investigating her financial declarations.
“Hindi ako interesado sa kanya. Walang interested kay Atty. Matibag. He’s a nobody,” the Vice President said.
Duterte-Carpio maintained that she would answer the allegations before the appropriate legal authorities rather than engage in a war of words with the NBI director.
She stressed that questions surrounding her SALNs were already among the issues raised in her impeachment case and had separately been referred to the Ombudsman for evaluation.
The NBI submitted its fact-finding report to the anti-graft body on Tuesday, seeking an assessment of possible irregularities uncovered during its investigation.
The bureau examined Duterte-Carpio’s 2024 and 2025 SALNs and compared her declared assets with certified land title records obtained from the Land Registration Authority.
Duterte-Carpio disputed Matibag’s public statements concerning the investigation, insisting that the Ombudsman and the impeachment proceedings were the proper venues for determining the validity of the allegations.
Her spokesperson, Paolo Panelo Jr., also rejected suggestions that the Vice President had concealed or misrepresented her assets, maintaining that her financial declarations were prepared accurately and in good faith.
Panelo accused the Marcos administration of weaponizing government institutions against Duterte-Carpio, questioning the NBI director’s decision to publicly discuss the alleged discrepancies before formally informing the Vice President and giving her an opportunity to respond.
He further questioned why the bureau’s findings had not been presented by the impeachment prosecution, where the alleged evidence could have been subjected to examination and challenge.
The Ombudsman, meanwhile, has assured the public that it would conduct an impartial evaluation of the NBI referral to determine whether further proceedings are warranted.
The controversy has also drawn attention to separate allegations by dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., who claimed that he delivered suitcases containing cash to Duterte-Carpio, former president Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte upon the instructions of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.
Gracioso alleged that the cash deliveries to the Vice President alone exceeded P2 billion.
Matibag earlier disclosed that the NBI investigation into properties allegedly associated with Duterte-Carpio and her family was connected to Gracioso’s account.
The Vice President, her brother and Velasco have categorically denied the accusations.
Velasco maintained that the allegations were baseless, while Paolo Duterte branded Gracioso’s claims as “pure fiction” and a “fairy-tale lie.”
With the NBI findings now before the Ombudsman, the controversy has shifted from a public exchange of accusations to a formal evaluation that could determine whether the allegations against the Vice President warrant further legal action./PN
