Palace to Duterte: Report the outcome of Australia trip to the nation

Metro Manila, Philippines - Vice President Sara Duterte should report to the government and the nation the outcome of her recent trip to Australia, a Malacañang official said, citing Duterte’s “official functions” there.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Palace did not question Duterte’s “personal” trip, but she did not disclose that she would be conducting supposed official functions abroad.

“Kung hindi ito personal trip, sana naging tapat siya sa pagsasabi sa dahilan ng kanyang pagpunta sa Australia at hindi ito tutulan ng administrasyon,” Castro said in a briefing on Thursday, June 26.

[Translation: If this was not a personal trip, we hope she was honest in disclosing the reason for her trip to Australia and the administration will not stop her.]

Castro’s argument stemmed from Duterte’s statement on Wednesday that defended her “personal” trip to Melbourne.

“Hindi ibig sabihin na personal na lakad ‘yan ay holiday o pamamasyal ‘yan. So ‘yon ‘yong ibig sabihin ng personal, walang ginamit na pera ng gobyerno sa lakad na ito pero nagtatrabaho pa rin ako,” Duterte told reporters on Wednesday.

[Translation: If it’s a personal trip, it does not mean it’s a holiday or vacation. That’s what I mean, I did not use public funds on this trip, but I’m still working.]

She added she used personal funds to cover her travel expenses, while Duterte supporters abroad would cover the costs to hold the rallies.

Castro said Duterte used the official Facebook page of the Office of the Vice President as she delivered a message at the “Free Duterte Now” event.

For the Palace official, this already merits an official report of the result of her conducting official functions in Australia, including her delegation and whether they were personally funded by Duterte.

Duterte supporters rallied in Melbourne on Sunday and called for the release of the vice president’s father and former president, Rodrigo Duterte, from detention at a facility of the International Criminal Court.

She said she did not meet any Australian government official.

Duterte confirmed she tried to reach out to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, but the official replied she would be unable to meet the vice president.

After the Duterte patriarch was detained for crimes against humanity for murder linked to his bloody drug war, the vice president also went to rallies with the same purpose in the Netherlands, Qatar, and Malaysia.