Vice President Sara Duterte’s office confirmed Friday that it has officially received the order from the Office of the Ombudsman directing her to respond to charges filed by the House of Representatives in connection with the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

"The Office of the Vice President confirms receipt of the order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman at approximately 09:00 AM today," the OVP said in a statement.

The Ombudsman’s order also covers nine other officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the OVP. All respondents have been given ten days from receipt to submit their counter-affidavits along with supporting documents and witness testimonies.

The case involves the alleged misuse of P500 million in confidential funds by the OVP and an additional P112.5 million by DepEd during Duterte’s concurrent leadership of both offices between 2022 and 2024.

Amid the controversy, the OVP also confirmed that Vice President Duterte is currently on a personal trip to Australia.

She is expected to attend a protest rally on 22 June in Melbourne advocating for the release of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as part of the “Free Duterte Now” campaign.

“Vice President Sara Duterte is currently on a personal trip to Australia and will be attending the ‘Free Duterte Now’ rally scheduled for 22 June 2025, in Melbourne," the OVP added.