VP Sara Duterte backs Marcos’ lifestyle checks

Vice President Sara Duterte said she fully supports President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.’s directive for all government officials to undergo lifestyle checks amid investigations into anomalous flood control projects.

Duterte, however, emphasized that the checks should include appointed officials, not just elected ones.

"Oo, dapat lang. At hindi lang yung elected public officials, pati yung mga appointed public officials. Hindi lang yung mga yung on the surface na sasabihin natin kung ano yung nakalagay sa SALN," she said in an interview in The Hague, Netherlands on Wednesday, 27 August.

The Vice President, together with her siblings Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, Davao City Vice Mayor Baste Duterte, and Kitty Duterte, visited their father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, currently detained by the International Criminal Court.

Duterte added that the checks should be a “deep dive” to identify dummies of public officials.

"Dapat deep dive kung sino yung mga dummy. Ilabas yung mga dummy ng mga public officials," she said.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Wednesday that the checks will start with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). President Marcos has also ordered a thorough review of DPWH records for the projects in question, adding that those involved in corruption will face charges.

Duterte also said she won’t give free advice to the Marcos administration on handling corruption.

"Ayaw ko magbigay ng libreng advice sa administration. Panoorin na lang natin sila sa circus nila. Panoorin na lang natin sila sa kanilang zarzuela. Corruption, corruption, tapos flood control lang. Eh ang daming projects sa gobyerno, hindi lang flood," she added.