Palace: VP Sara's remark proves she wasn't mistreated; blames her allies for 'disorder'

Malacañang on Friday reacted to Vice President Sara Duterte's statement that she had no personal issues with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., saying it proved she was never mistreated by the Chief Executive. "This proves, coming from her herself, that the President has not treated her badly as a person and as a Vice President," Presidential Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said in a video message. Castro also stated that it is Duterte's allies who are causing "disorder" in the country, citing supposed threats from the Vice President against Marcos and his family. "In fact, even though she is not working and is always abroad, we didn’t hear anything from President Marcos Jr. But why did the Vice President make this personal? She even asked someone willing to carry out an order to kill President Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and former House Speaker Romualdez," Castro said. "She is projecting that the President is incapable of leading and that the country is in chaos. But in reality, who is really causing the chaos? Who is planning destabilization? Isn’t it their group? Because they want to take the position from the President?" In an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte admitted she had no personal issues with Marcos, but said her only problem was with his presidency. The Vice President also stated that any comment she has with Marcos’ administration and the government right now is her right to freedom of speech. In response, Castro said that every Filipino has the right to speak, but it should not be fake news. "She is saying that she has the right to speak as an ordinary citizen of the country? Every Filipino is free to speak. But it should not be fake news. It should not be a deception of the truth," she said. This exchange highlights the growing political tensions between the Marcos administration and the Duterte faction within the Philippines. The Vice President's remarks have seemingly exposed rifts within the government.