Sara blasts Marcos leadership — and Malacañang responds

Malacañang on Friday fired back at Vice President Sara Duterte for once again criticizing the Marcos administration and for claiming that she and her family are not the country’s problem.

In her speech during the miting de avance of PDP Laban’s senatorial candidates Thursday night, Duterte accused political opponents of carrying out a “systematic demolition job” against the country.

The Vice President criticized the administration for allowing the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and his eventual transfer to the International Criminal Court, despite the country's withdrawal from the Hague-based court.

In response, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro implied that Duterte’s remarks appeared to be describing both herself and the Duterte family.

"Opo, tayo po ay nakapanood ng kaniyang mga tinuran. At ang mga negatibo niya pong nabanggit doon sa ating pagsusuri ay mukhang ang dini-describe niya po ay ang kaniyang sarili at ang pamilya Duterte," Castro said.

(Yes, we have seen her statements. And the negative remarks she mentioned there, based on our analysis, she seemed to describing herself and the Duterte family)

Castro recalled Duterte's earlier comments made during her tenure as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

"Matatandaan po natin na siya po mismo bilang dating DepEd secretary, siya ang nagsabing hindi niya kaya lalung-lalo na, and I quote, 'I do not come from the education sector. I don’t have an education background so I cannot review what they are doing and I rely on their expertise and all the stakeholders who did the review'," the Palace press officer stressed.

Castro said the education sector was neglected during Duterte's tenure, particularly highlighting that 1.5 million DepEd laptops and items had been left unused in warehouses since 2020.

"Nandoon din po ang issue ng panis na gatas, inaamag na Nutribun sa mga public schools at ito po ay nagkakahalaga ng 5.7 billion na hindi po napakinabangan ng mga estudyante," she added.

(There is also the issue of expired milk and moldy Nutribuns in public schools, which cost P5.7 billion and were not used by the students)

Castro also lambasted the issue of "ghost students" during Duterte's time as education chief.

"At mayroon din pong nabisto or agarang nasolusyunan ni Education Secretary Sonny Angara patungkol po doon sa ghost students na may halaga pong na-recover na 65 million. Kaya po tayo ay umaayon sa sinabi niyang pinagbabayaran natin ngayon ang pagpili ng maling lider," she said.

(And there was also an issue that was uncovered or immediately solved by Education Secretary Sonny Angara regarding the ghost students, with an amount of 65 million pesos recovered. That is why we agree with what he said, that we are now paying the price for choosing the wrong leader)

Castro went on. "So, hindi po ba siya ang problema ng bansa o isa sa mga problema ng bansa?"

(So, isn't she the problem of the country or one of the problems of the country?)

Without naming anyone, Duterte expressed frustration that the Filipino nation had chosen a leader who cannot comprehend the plight of the people and is incapable of making decisions for the public's well-being.

She also criticized the country's current leader for refusing to take a public hair follicle drug test as well as for allegedly lying about making rice available at P20 per kilo.

Meanwhile, Castro was asked whether cases would be filed against the Vice President for allegedly spreading false information about First Lady Louise "Liza" Araneta-Marcos.

"Sa ngayon po, wala pa po. Wala po," Castro replied.

(At the moment, there are none. None)