When does the use of public funds amount to graft and corruption? | ABOGADO

August 6, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

#ABOGADO with Atty. Mike Toledo – where legal minds meet, tough questions get real answers, and perspectives are challenged. No filters, no compromises—just the law, the issues, and the truth. The legal showdown begins — only on BNC.

Can the misuse of public funds amount to graft and corruption, even when those funds were lawfully appropriated and released?

Article I of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte alleges the misappropriation and conversion of confidential funds released to the Office of the Vice President in 2022 and 2023. But when does an audit issue become a criminal one? Does a notice of disallowance prove corruption, or must the law still establish bad faith, undue injury, or the granting of an unwarranted benefit?

Atty. Enrique “Buko” Dela Cruz Jr. and Atty. Jojo Lacanilao examine the legal standards that distinguish audit findings from graft, the limits of official authorization, and whether violations of the rules governing confidential funds can give rise to criminal liability under Philippine law.

Only on Bilyonaryo News Channel.