Palace challenges VP Duterte to show proof of safety, trust concerns

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to provide evidence supporting her claim that she does not feel safe, referring to her remarks while she was posting bail for her grave threats charges. Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Monday that there are no records, reports, or complaints regarding supposed threats to Duterte’s life. "Noong atin pong nakausap mismo si [Philippine National Police] General [Jose Melencio] Nartatez, at kahit naman po ang NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] Director Melvin Matibag ay nagsabi na wala po silang anumang record na sinasabing pagbabanta sa buhay ng bise presidente – wala pong record, wala pong pagsusumbong, wala pong reklamo,” Castro said at a briefing. (When we spoke directly with [Philippine National Police] General [Jose Melencio] Nartatez, and even NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] Director Melvin Matibag said that they have no record of any threats to the life of the Vice President—there is no record, no report, and no complaint.) She added that the government continues to provide security not only to the vice president but to all Filipinos. "At sinisiguro naman po ng pamunuan ng PNP at ng mga ahensiya na nagbibigay ng proteksyon, lahat po, hindi lang ang bise presidente, lahat po ng mga kababayan natin ay binibigyan ng proteksyon ng pamahalaan so walang dahilan para sabihing hindi safe ang bise presidente,” she added. (The PNP leadership and the agencies tasked with providing protection are ensuring that everyone—not just the vice president—is being protected by the government, so there is no reason to say that the vice president is not safe.) Duterte raised the safety concerns over the weekend before posting bail at the Quezon City Hall of Justice. Before entering the Hall of Justice, Duterte repeatedly said she did not trust the police, the courts, or even the security personnel assigned to protect her. READ: Sara Duterte posts bail: ‘I don’t trust the court’ “I do not feel safe, I really do not feel safe. I don’t trust the court, I don’t trust the police,” she told reporters and her lawyers. After Duterte made the remark, her brother, Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, posted on his social media account an art card featuring a photo of the Vice President with the text: “I am with VP Inday. I am a Filipino, and I don’t feel safe.” Castro said it was understandable for the lawmaker to side with his sister but maintained that there is no evidence to support their claims. READ: Palace distances from Sara Duterte ‘special treatment’ at QC court Castro also said the public should not lose faith in the country’s justice system after Duterte expressed distrust to the court. “Hindi po dapat mawalan ng tiwala ang taumbayan sa sistema po ng ating hustisya. At kung iyan po ang kaniyang [Duterte] nais na ipahiwatig, nasa kaniya po iyan,” Castro said. (The public should not lose faith in our justice system. And if that is what she [Duterte] intends to imply, that is up to her.) “At hindi po natin ini-encourage ang lahat ng mga kababayan natin na hindi maniwala sa sistema ng hustisya sa ating bansa,” she also said. (And we do not encourage our fellow Filipinos to lose faith in the justice system in our country.)