Sara urges Marcos admin to probe alleged corruption of other administrations

Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday lashed back at her critics, saying they should also investigate alleged corruptions of other administrations, not just of her father's administration.

Sara Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, accused the Marcos administration of being selective in their accusations.

"Hindi lang dapat sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Duterte. Kung meron pa sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Aquino, ni Pangulong Arroyo, lahat. Kasama na rin yung iskandalo sa korapsyon sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Marcos. Huwag silang selective," Duterte said in an interview in Zamboanga City.

"Kung totoong korupsyon ang pinag-uusapan natin, hindi naman kahapon lang ang korapsyon. Ngayon lang siya lumaki ng ganito kagrabe na nasira yung ating bansa. Pero yung korapsyon, matagal na nareklamo yan ng bayan," she added.

Duterte also challenged Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to investigate all cases fairly, including those involving allies of the current administration.

“Halungkatin niya nang halungkatin lahat sa akin. Pero huwag lang siya maging selective. Halungkatin niya din 'yung mabilisan na pag-dismiss ng kaso ng drugs case ng anak niya at 'yung iba pang mga kaso at posibleng kaso ng mga kaalyado nila,” she said.

Duterte also said that the current administration is diverting attention from its own lack of accomplishments, describing its anti-corruption rhetoric as mere “political scapegoating."

“Ang ginagawa po [na political scapegoating] ni BBM ay dahil wala siyang ginagawa, walang mga proyekto, walang accomplishments ang kanyang gobyerno at matindi ang corruption na ginagawa nila," she said.

"Inaatake nila yung kalaban nila or perceived na kalaban nila sa politika, para doon nakatuon yung attention ng mga tao at tuloy-tuloy lang yung kawalan ng accomplishments ng gobyerno at tuloy-tuloy lang yung kanilang korapsyon sa budget. So, ang term po dyan ay political scapegoating," the Vice President added.

Duterte also said that she would not ask help from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for the interim release of her father.

"Hindi ko kakausapin si BBM para kay dating Pangulong Duterte dahil, ang sa akin, is yung ginawa nila na kidnapping ng isang Pilipino sa loob — government kidnapping ng isang Pilipino sa loob ng ating bansa — there's no going back sa ganon," she said.

"Kung ano man yung legal problem ni dating pangulong Duterte ngayon, ay problema niya na yun at syempre ng pamilya namin dahil ama namin siya. Pero for me, [I won't] go to BBM and request him on behalf of former President Duterte. There's no going back sa ginawa nila na rendition," the Vice President added.

The former president is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands on charges of alleged crimes against humanity in connection to the drug war killings during his administration.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected the request of former president's defense counsel to grant him interim release.

In a 23-page decision on the defense counsel's request for interim release, all three magistrates of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I found that Duterte's detention continued "to remain necessary under article 60(2) of the Statute based on each of the requirements set by article 58(1) of the Statute."

Meanwhile, Duterte again refused to disclose what country will be hosting her father's interim release.

"Hindi ko masabi kung anong country yun dahil unang-una hindi siya pinapalabas ng ICC. At kung magsabi man ako kung anong continent siya, baka mag-speculate tayong mga tao," she said.

"Ang huling pag-uusap namin ng abogado patungkol sa bansa na ito at sa interim release ay meron pa rin cooperation yung bansa doon sa appeal na ginawa nila para sa denial ng interim release," the Vice President added.