VP tirades vs. administration reflect self, family – Palace

Metro Manila, Philippines - Malacañang hit back at Vice President Sara Duterte, saying her tirades against the administration spoke of her own performance and the Duterte family’s legacy.

Duterte's message at the PDP-Laban’s final campaign rally for its senatorial candidates accused the president of dragging the country down.

“Hindi ako ang problema ng Pilipinas. Hindi Duterte ang problema ng Pilipinas,” Duterte said.

[Translation: I am not the problem of the Philippines. The Duterte family is not the problem of the Philippines]

She went on to question who eventually benefits from the demolition job on the Duterte family: “Sino nga ba ang tunay na makikinabang kung tuluyan nang burahin sa mundong ito ang pamilyang Duterte? Hindi ang mga Pilipino.”

[Translation: Who will really benefit if the Duterte family is erased from this world? Not the Filipino people.]

In response, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Duterte’s statements seemed to mirror herself and that of her family.

She cited Duterte’s admission during her time as education secretary, where she said: “I do not come from the education sector. I don’t have an education background so I cannot review what they are doing and I rely on their expertise.”

The Palace said this contributed to the neglect of the education sector, citing 1.5 million laptops left idle in warehouses since 2020, the distribution of spoiled milk and moldy ‘Nutribun’ bread in public schools worth P5.7 billion, and the ghost students case where P65 million was recovered only after Duterte’s exit from the agency..

“Hindi po ba siya ang problema ng bansa o isa sa mga problema ng bansa?” Castro asked.

[Translation: Isn’t she the problem of the country, or at least one of its problems?]

The Palace further agreed with Duterte’s own words that “we are now paying the price for choosing the wrong leader,” which apply to her tenure in public service.