Palace, Duterte trade barbs after VP hits antigraft probe
Malacañang pushed back on Monday against Vice President Sara Duterte’s remarks that President Marcos was facing “a profound crisis of confidence” from the way he has handled corruption investigations in flood control projects.
Earlier in the day, Duterte criticized the ongoing government probe, which she said “appear to lack both direction and resolve.”
But in a message to reporters, Palace press officer Claire Castro said, “Those who are not clean should not pretend to be clean. Those who are not heroes should not act like heroes.”
She added that before calling for transparency and accountability, Duterte should first come clean about her questionable use of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd), which she previously headed. This was in addition to around P100 million in “ghost student” claims and P65 million in “ghost” food deliveries.
“President Marcos Jr. was the one who initiated the investigation into these anomalies, something the previous administration never did even though there were so many ghost projects as far back as 2020. Filipinos really deserve better so they should choose the right leader to put into office,” Castro said.
Seeking ‘clear answers’
In criticizing the government for allegedly bungling the probe into corruption within its ranks, Duterte recalled the time she resigned as education secretary when she learned how the House of Representatives had allegedly manipulated the national budget, including the DepEd’s.
“We also seek clear answers on how a budget that deprived Filipinos of billions and billions of pesos was approved under his [Marcos’] watch,” Duterte said, adding that she “stands with the millions of Filipinos” outraged at government corruption.
“We Filipinos deserve better,” she stressed.
Duterte’s statement came amid a three-day protest rally at the Luneta organized by the Iglesia Ni Cristo, which drew an estimated 650,000 participants on its first day on Sunday.
