NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Catanduanes Case Drives Lawyer To Sara Impeachment Team
Congress FILE
A case involving a public school principal in Catanduanes convicted over a missing P5,000 became the driving force behind lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan’s decision to join the House of Representatives' prosecution team for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Ligutan said the case highlighted the need for accountability among public officials, regardless of their position.
“What really motivated me to join the private prosecution team is the story of a school principal that is ordered to be imprisoned for 11 years for pocketing P5,000,” Ligutan told reporters.
Ligutan is among the private lawyers tapped to assist the House prosecution panel led by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, chairperson of the House Committee on Justice, in preparing for the upcoming impeachment proceedings against the Vice President.
Drawing a comparison between the school principal's case and the allegations against Duterte, Ligutan questioned why lower-ranking government officials are punished while higher officials facing more serious accusations remain in office.
“If we can send to jail somebody for pocketing P5,000 for 11 years, why can’t we remove from office the sitting Vice President for misusing millions of pesos of public funds?” Ligutan asked.
The case he referred to involved a public school principal in Virac, Catanduanes who was convicted by the Sandiganbayan in February 2025 of malversation and falsification under the Revised Penal Code. In addition to imprisonment, the anti-graft court also ordered the principal to pay a fine.
Court records showed that the principal altered a sales invoice to make it appear that the school had purchased 28 bags of cement worth P7,000, when only eight bags costing P2,000 had actually been bought. The court ruled that the principal failed to account for the missing P5,000, which came from financial assistance provided by the provincial government of Catanduanes.
Vice President Duterte is facing four articles of impeachment, including allegations involving the misuse of more than P600 million in confidential and intelligence funds received by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during her time as education secretary.
The Commission on Audit previously reported that P125 million in confidential funds had been spent within just 11 days, with auditors questioning a large portion of the expenditures. Of that amount, P73 million was disallowed and ordered returned to the government.
The Vice President has also been accused of bribing Department of Education officials involved in handling confidential and intelligence funds. Meanwhile, state auditors have flagged other allegedly questionable expenses linked to the Office of the Vice President.
The impeachment case is expected to move to the Senate, where House prosecutors and their private legal team will present evidence in support of the charges.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Ligutan said the case highlighted the need for accountability among public officials, regardless of their position.
“What really motivated me to join the private prosecution team is the story of a school principal that is ordered to be imprisoned for 11 years for pocketing P5,000,” Ligutan told reporters.
Ligutan is among the private lawyers tapped to assist the House prosecution panel led by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, chairperson of the House Committee on Justice, in preparing for the upcoming impeachment proceedings against the Vice President.
Drawing a comparison between the school principal's case and the allegations against Duterte, Ligutan questioned why lower-ranking government officials are punished while higher officials facing more serious accusations remain in office.
“If we can send to jail somebody for pocketing P5,000 for 11 years, why can’t we remove from office the sitting Vice President for misusing millions of pesos of public funds?” Ligutan asked.
The case he referred to involved a public school principal in Virac, Catanduanes who was convicted by the Sandiganbayan in February 2025 of malversation and falsification under the Revised Penal Code. In addition to imprisonment, the anti-graft court also ordered the principal to pay a fine.
Court records showed that the principal altered a sales invoice to make it appear that the school had purchased 28 bags of cement worth P7,000, when only eight bags costing P2,000 had actually been bought. The court ruled that the principal failed to account for the missing P5,000, which came from financial assistance provided by the provincial government of Catanduanes.
Vice President Duterte is facing four articles of impeachment, including allegations involving the misuse of more than P600 million in confidential and intelligence funds received by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during her time as education secretary.
The Commission on Audit previously reported that P125 million in confidential funds had been spent within just 11 days, with auditors questioning a large portion of the expenditures. Of that amount, P73 million was disallowed and ordered returned to the government.
The Vice President has also been accused of bribing Department of Education officials involved in handling confidential and intelligence funds. Meanwhile, state auditors have flagged other allegedly questionable expenses linked to the Office of the Vice President.
The impeachment case is expected to move to the Senate, where House prosecutors and their private legal team will present evidence in support of the charges.
Jun 11, 2026
We are dedicated storytellers with a passion for bringing your brand to life. Our services range from news and media features to brand promotion and collaborations.
Interested? Visit our
Contact Us page for more information. To learn more about what we offer, check out our latest article on services and opportunities.
