Ex-cop who claimed cash deliveries to Sara Duterte dismissed from PNP

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte speaks during a press conference at her office in Manila on December 11, 2024. Philippine lawmakers on February 5 voted to send articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate, a day before the current congressional session was set to end.

AFP / Ted Aljibe

MANILA, Philippines — The former police officer who claimed to have delivered suitcases filled with massive amounts of cash to Vice President Sara Duterte has been dismissed from the police force.

Under a dismissal order dated September 15, Rodulfo Gracioso was dismissed from the police service on Sept. 11, 2026.

The dismissal order mentions three counts of grave misconduct against him.

His dismissal also carried the accessory penalties of cancellation of his eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and disqualification from re-employment in government service.

Gracioso, an ex-security aide of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, stepped forward, claiming he helped deliver suitcases filled with large amounts of cash.

He alleged making more than 20 deliveries of cash-filled suitcases totaling more than P2 billion to Vice President Sara Duterte and over P1 billion to detained former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The vice president denied his claims, saying that she never met Gracioso.

National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag said the agency subjected Gracioso to a polygraph test and was able to validate some of his statements through other means.

Meanwhile, lawyer Rowell Ilagan dismissed Gracioso’s claims of alleged unlawful acts by Velasco and his wife, calling the claims fabricated, logically inconsistent, and contradicted by verifiable facts.

“The former Speaker of the House's record of service in the government is untainted with corruption and his wife's benevolence is widely known, leaving no basis for the illegal allegations now being suggested,” Ilagan said.

“We respectfully urge everyone to be more circumspect in appreciating this news report while we evaluate and determine the accountability of the individual and the publisher under the law,” he added.