Palace press officer Claire Castro — Screengrab from Presidential Communications Office/Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte should answer allegations of corruption with evidence instead of pointing fingers at the administration, Malacañang said on Sunday.
Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said claims raised by whistleblower, dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., should be investigated, but the government should first establish the truth before making any judgment.
“If such information is coming to light, we cannot turn a blind eye to it. We cannot simply ignore it. It needs to be investigated, and if anything is proven, then it should [be acted upon],” Castro told state-run PTV.
In an interview with GMA News, Gracioso said he served as former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s head of security from 2018 until 2022.
Gracioso claimed that upon the instructions of Velasco, he delivered cash-filled suitcases to Duterte amounting to P2 billion in more than 20 separate deliveries. He also alleged to have delivered suitcases of cash to former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is currently investigating his claims.
Both Velasco and Duterte denied his allegations.
The Vice President then went on to describe the matter as a mere “media stunt,” which is meant to “breathe life into a faltering impeachment case.”
“The desperation of the administration to bring me down, push for Charter change (Cha-cha), prevent the 2028 elections, and cling to power is becoming increasingly diabolical,” she said.
In response, Castro said Duterte should defend herself and clear the allegations with her own set of evidence.
“If she does fall, the administration will not be responsible for it. If she falls, it will be because of her own actions,” Castro said.
“She cannot simply point her fingers at the administration just to evade the issues she is currently facing involving corruption,” she added.
Malacañang also challenged Duterte to substantiate her claims against the Marcos administration.
“Perhaps it would be better to ask the Vice President where she got such rumors,” Castro said.
“You cannot simply talk about charter change when we do not see anything moving toward charter change,” she added.
Amending the 1987 Constitution has been off the table for Marcos in recent months, with Malacañang saying he is more focused on growing the economy amid global crises.
The President has so far tried to distance himself from amending the Constitution, but he has also declared in the past that he would conditionally support Cha-cha.
Marcos also categorically denied claims that he was pushing for a no-election scenario in 2028 to extend his six-year term.