Palace Press Officer Under Secretary Claire Castro
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday hit back Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that she was “scammed” by former running mate, President Marcos Jr. into making her believe he too wanted a good government.
”Kung na-scam po siya ng unity (If she was scammed by unity), isn’t it the other way around?” Palace Press Officer Under Secretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
The Vice President flew to Hong Kong together with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte and the rest of the PDP-Laban senatorial slate for their sortie.
In her speech on Sunday (March 9), the younger Duterte took a swipe yet again on Marcos and said she was tricked into believing they had the same cause.
“So, akala ko kasi—ito na naman tayo sa maling akala. Hindi, totoo ito. Akala ko kasi gusto niya, na mas magandang bayan, mas maayos na Pilipinas. Kung ano ‘yung pinagdaanan natin, kasi ang plataporma namin nung tumakbo kami—unity at continuity,” Duterte said.
“Sabi ko sa inyo, nadala na ako, na-scam, nabudol na ako—hindi ako mag-endorso ng kandidato, kasi baka pagkatapos ng eleksyon sasabihin niyo na naman, na-scam kami ni Inday Sara dahil sayo!’ she said.
This was answered by Castro with the issues and controversies hounding Duterte including her controversial expenditure of her confidential funds and her kill plot against the administration.
”Hindi naman po siguro inakala din ng miyembro o ng mga miyembro ng UniTeam na mabilis magagastos ni VP Sara iyong P125 million confidential funds in just 11 days, hindi naman po siguro inisip iyon at nagbigay ng tiwala sa kanya,” Castro said.
”Hindi rin po siguro inisip ng Uniteam noon na siya may mga kakilalang assassin at hindi rin po inisip ng Uniteam noon na ang gustong continuation, kasi parang mayroon pong sinabi na dapat may continuity, pero hindi rin po papayag ang Pangulo na ituloy po iyong sinasabing bloody tokhang at EJK,” she said.
Gov’t did not abandon OVP
Duterte also claimed that the government has abandoned the Office of the Vice President (OVP) leaving them fending for themselves.
“Sa suporta ninyo sa aking mga kasamahan, sa aming trabaho, sa programa at proyekto ng Office of the Vice President. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Dahil kayo lang po ang sumusuporta sa OVP, ang buong gobyerno po ay iniwanan na po ang OVP,” she said.
Castro refuted this yet again saying Duterte only wants the public to pity her and her office.
”Iyan naman po ang nais nilang iparating, maging kaawa-awa ang OVP, maging kaawa-awa ang Vice President. Kung tutuusin po natin, siya po naman ay binigyan ng pagkakataon para ipagtanggol, idepensa ang kanyang proposed budget,” she said.
”Hindi naman po hinahadlangan na magbigay ng tamang budget sa OVP, kung ito naman ay maipapaliwanag niya,” she said.
The relationship between Marcos and Duterte began to turn sour when the House of Representatives began investigating the latter’s use of the confidential funds of the OVP and the Department of Education during her tenure as secretary.
The findings of the House committee on good government and public accountability led to the filing of four impeachment complaints against Duterte.
As the fourth impeachment complaint got endorsed to the Senate which will act as an impeachment court, several lawmakers have urged the upper house to convene even on recess.
Senate President Chiz Escudero, despite pressures, remains unfazed that trial will only proceed upon the entry of the new Congress on June 2.
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