Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on Visit To Australia
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President spoke on her travel to Australia insisting that her visit “was not a holiday”.
The Office of the Vice President recently confirmed that Vice Pres. Duterte flew to Australia for a personal trip. The Vice President was also set to join the “Free Duterte Now” rally that called for the release of her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is detained for more than 100 days now under the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. He is faced with an alleged crime against humanity before the ICC over his administration’s drug war.
Since the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte last March 11, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has been flying to several countries abroad — most especially in The Hague, Netherlands. Prior to her trip in Australia, she was in the Philippines for a few days only as she just came from The Hague.
Malacañang press undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro even stressed that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has been to four (4) countries abroad in less that one month — Doha, Qatar; The Hague, Netherlands; Malaysia; and Australia.
The Palace raised a question on whether the trip of Duterte to Australia is for a personal purpose or for the country. When asked about the possible violation that the Vice President may be committing with her frequent travels abroad, Castro said she may be violating her obligations to the country.
Furthermore, the Malacañang Spox said that the Filipino people are seeing what an elected official is doing. She stressed that it is the choice of the Vice President if she is busy with her travels abroad.
Recently, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte spoke on her visit to Australia. Based on a report on GMA News, the Vice President stressed that her travel to Australia is not a holiday.
“I do not like traveling at all except for holidays, and clearly I am not on holiday for this trip. I am here to discuss with the Filipino community on ways forward for our country, and of course how we can push the administration to do more for our country,” the Vice President said.
Based on the report, Vice Pres. Duterte added that the Philippine government should not neglect the contributions of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). She stressed that it is good to talk to Pinoys abroad.