Malacañang on Wednesday defended President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s approach to addressing corruption in public infrastructure, firing back at Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent criticism of the administration’s handling of the controversial flood control budget mess.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued a pointed rebuke after Duterte questioned the President’s decision to wait for the findings of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) before taking decisive action.

“Kung ikaw presidente ka tapos alam mo na kung ano ang nangyayari, makikita mo based on the budget kung paano binababoy iyong pera ng bayan, mag-aantay ka pa ba ng commission o truth commission o ano pang commission?” (If you're the President and you already know what's happening, and you can see from the budget how public funds are being misused, would you still wait for a commission or a truth commission or any other commission?),” Duterte earlier said. 

In response, Castro shot back with sarcasm. 

“Hindi po natin alam kung siya po ba ay matagal na nag-stay sa isang kuweba at hindi niya nalalaman ang mga nagaganap… Siguro po kakailanganin niya ng mataas na grado na salamin o kaya hearing aid para madinig niya ang lahat ng ginagawa ng Pangulo (We don't know if she’s been living in a cave for a long time and is unaware of what’s been happening… Maybe she needs a high-grade pair of glasses or even a hearing aid to be able to see and hear everything the President has been doing),” Castro said. 

She further stressed that Marcos values due process and is not interested in shortcuts, crackdowns without investigation, including the implementation of extra-judicial killings (EJKs).

“Hindi po naniniwala ang Pangulo sa isang EJK-style, walang imbestigahan, libingan ang hantungan; ang gusto ng Pangulo, due process. At hindi po dapat lamang na puro salita o kaya pangako (The President does not believe in an EJK-style approach, no investigation, with the grave as the final outcome; what the President wants is due process. And it should not be all talk or empty promises),” Castro lamented. 

Castro also criticized Duterte’s insinuation that swift action is being avoided, pointing out that even former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara’s father, admitted in 2017 to failing to eliminate corruption despite bold promises. 

“Kung mayroon naman pong sistema ang Bise Presidente kung paano agarang masusugpo ang korapsyon na ito, sana po ay hiniling niya na rin po ito at ibinigay sa kaniyang ama. Pero bakit hindi kaya? (If the Vice President has a system for how this corruption can be immediately eradicated, then she should have proposed it and given it to her father as well. But why didn’t she?),” Castro said. 

In a separate remark, VP Duterte also challenged Marcos to initiate lifestyle checks on lawmakers and their staff, accusing many of owning properties abroad.

“Mag-lifestyle check ka na diyan sa mga congressman at sa mga staff nila. Ang dami diyan may bahay sa abroad. Ano pang investigative body ang kailangan natin? (Conduct lifestyle checks on those congressmen and their staff. Many of them have houses abroad. What more investigative body do we need?),” the Vice President uttered. 

Asked to comment, Castro responded.  

“Tanungin natin: May moral ascendancy ba ang Bise Presidente pagdating sa usapin ng korapsyon? (Let’s ask: Does the Vice President have moral ascendancy when it comes to the issue of corruption?).”

The political friction unfolds amid ongoing legal developments related to a previous impeachment attempt against Duterte. On July 25, the Supreme Court declared the Articles of Impeachment against her unconstitutional and issued seven new guidelines on how such complaints should be filed.

The impeachment effort had been fueled by questions over the Vice President’s alleged use of P625 million in confidential funds. 

Although the Senate, then under Senate President Francis Escudero, opted to archive the case, the matter remains unresolved.

The Supreme Court ruling currently bars the filing of a new impeachment complaint until February 6, 2026. 

However, the House of Representatives has filed a motion asking the high court to reconsider its decision, arguing that impeachment proceedings are the exclusive mandate of Congress.