Vice President Sara Duterte denied accusations of her “habitual absence” from duties due to frequent trips abroad, dismissing these as baseless claims.
“Habitual absence saan? Hindi ko alam kung ano yung pinagsasabi nila ng habitual absence. As I said, ito na naman ‘yung style ng mga tao na anti-Duterte na nagbibigay lang ng akusasyon kung saan-saan at wala namang basehan, walang ebidensya,” she told reporters on Friday, August 8.
(What habitual absence? I don’t know what habitual absence they are talking about. As I said, this is the style of anti-Duterte people who bring their accusations everywhere and without basis, without evidence.)
Duterte added that her accusers do not raise their complaints in the right forums.
“Alam niyo, ang akusasyon na walang basehan ay isang paninira lamang. Ganyan ang lagi nilang ginagawa,” she stated.
(You know, an accusation that does not have a basis is just slander. That’s what they always do.)
Earlier, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said that lawmakers will “continue hounding” Duterte regarding her personal travels.
In a press briefing on August 6, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) Spokesperson, Atty. Ruth B. Castelo claimed Duterte remains as committed to her work as she was at the beginning of her term.
“Her involvement never diminished … even if she’s not physically here, she’s still the one running the office kasi may technology naman e (because there’s technology anyway),” Castelo clarified.
“Kami ‘yung mga sundalo (We are the soldiers). But the instructions come directly from the Vice President herself,” she added.
She was unable to say whether the Vice President was in the country at that time.
On the same day, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Duterte had plans to fly to Kuwait on August 8, according to reports.
