Vice President Sara Duterte and Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte downplayed the Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro’s denial that the government exerts a concerted effort to bring down their family and told them to leave the judgement to the people who “see” what is happening. 

“Ang mga tao na lang ang pasagutin nila. At dapat nakikita na nila ngayon kung gaano kagalit ang mga tao sa ginawa nila,” Duterte said in an ambush interview in Tagbilaran City. 

From the beginning, the vice president has called what is being done to their family as “political persecution” given the legal battles being slapped to both her and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. 

“Unang-una sa akin sa impeachment, at sa pagkidnap nila kay President Duterte. Tanungin nila ang mga tao, naiintindihan nila, naiintindihan ng mga tao at napapakita nila iyon sa galit nila ngayon,” she said. 

Sen. Imee Marcos, the president’s sister and now a staunch Duterte ally, has released the findings of her Senate probe investigating the arrest. She said the arrest was indeed a “politically-motivated” move by the government to eradicate the family before the 2028 presidential elections where the vice president has expressed openness running for. 

She even recommended that key government officials involved in the arrest be investigated and filed cases before the Office of the Ombudsman for supposed violations of the Constitution committed during the arrest. 

She also insisted that the plan to arrest the president known as “Operation Pursuit” was “long-planned” contrary to the government’s claim of only knowing about it upon receiving the warrant on the morning of March 11. 

The younger Duterte also earlier said her father has instructed her to campaign and tell the people to vote straight for Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) – Laban’s senatorial slate known as Duter10 and explain what’s at stake for giving solid support to their ticket.