Press Officer of Malacañang Speaks on VP Sara Duterte Overseas Trips Anew
Malacañang reacted to the remarks of Vice President Sara Duterte about her overseas trips after visiting four (4) countries in less than a month.
After the 2025 Midterm Elections, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has been to Doha, Qatar; The Hague, Netherlands; Malaysia; and Australia in less than a month. She went for a scheduled visits to former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte in The Hague while she met with the Filipinos in the three (3) other foreign countries she visited.
Malacañang previously reacted to the travels of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte abroad when asked about the possible violation that she may be committing with her overseas trips. According to Palace press undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro, the Vice President may be violating her obligations to the Filipino people.
The Palace official also claimed that it is the choice of the Vice President if she prefers to be busy in her overseas trips. According to her, the Filipino people are seeing what the elected official is doing.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte slammed the Marcos administration over the statement of the Palace regarding her overseas trips. According to her, in her personal trips, she does not use public fund but she continues to work while in official trips, that’s when the government fund is utilized.
Recently, Malacañang reacted to the remarks of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on a report on PhilStar, Palace press undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said that the Vice President has to report to the country what she did in Australia.
“She said she is working as the vice president and went out of the country. She now has to report to the nation what she did in Australia, the results of the performance of her official functions in Australia,” Castro said.
It was previously reported that the Vice President attended a “Free Duterte Now” rally calling for the immediate release of her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who is currently detained under the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In Australia, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte told the Filipinos to convince the government of Australia to look into the case of her father. She also confirmed that Australia is one of the possible countries for the interim release of the former President.
Based on the report, Malacañang also said that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has to report who were with her in her foreign trip as well as the details about their travel expenses. According to Castro, the travels of the Vice President should be beneficial to the country.
“She needs to report to the people who were with her and whether she shouldered the costs of her companions. If that is a private or personal trip, she does not need to report what she did. So her trips to other countries should have results that are good for the country,” the Palace official said.
Based on the report, Castro claimed that Duterte was allegedly emotional when she made the remarks about her overseas trips. According to her, “when emotions are high, intelligence is low”.
Recently, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that the Marcos admin allegedly wants her eliminated as she is the “frontrunner in the 2028 presidential race”.