Palace rejects Sara Duterte's call to stop ‘politicking’

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday rejected Vice President Sara Duterte’s call for government officials to stop engaging in politics and advancing their own interests, saying transparency and accountability are constitutional obligations that public officials cannot abandon.

Speaking in Surigao del Sur on Thursday, Duterte urged government officials to focus on maintaining peace and order and improving the lives of Filipinos.

READ: Sara Duterte to gov’t officials: Stop playing politics

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Duterte’s impeachment trial formally began on Monday and is scheduled to run for 92 trial days.

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“VP Sara should instead be telling her allies to stop engaging in political maneuvering and spreading fake news to undermine President Marcos Jr. and his administration in an effort to install her as President even before 2028,” said Palace press officer Claire Castro in a Viber message, in response to Duterte’s remarks.

Duterte also said government officials should stop invoking transparency and accountability when, according to her, their real objective is to pursue their own agenda.

“Why should we stop promoting transparency and accountability? These are part of the mandate and duty of every public servant. As Vice President, it is her responsibility to answer the allegations against her. Concealing the truth about these matters is a betrayal of the public trust,” Castro said.

Castro added that there was no politicking involved in the impeachment proceedings, stressing that the trial is provided for under the Constitution.

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“President Marcos Jr. remains focused on maintaining peace and order and advancing the country’s development. The President continues to work tirelessly even as the Vice President has been more frequently on vacation and traveling abroad. What has the Vice President contributed to the President’s efforts to promote peace and order and the country’s development? None,” the Palace official also said.

Duterte skipped the first three days of her trial, but she showed up to the Senate halls on Tuesday for a meeting with her lawyers.

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In a brief press conference, she did not answer questions but once again referred to her impeachment as a bloodbath, uttering: “In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.” /mr

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