No drama this time around?

Malacañang on Saturday confirmed that the Office of the President has approved the rescheduled foreign trip of Vice President Sara Duterte from 2 to 15 May.

The development followed an earlier confusion over Duterte’s travel plans after she initially sought clearance for a multi-country visit but later did not proceed, citing the alleged late release of travel documents.

In an earlier announcement dated 22 April, Malacañang said Duterte had been granted authority to travel to five countries — the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — within the 23 April to 15 May period.

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto earlier confirmed that the Office of the President issued the approval, authorizing the Vice President to travel while on official leave and at no expense to the government.

The clearance also supersedes any previously issued travel authority covering the same destinations and period.

On 23 April, Duterte said the trip would no longer push through, alleging that Malacañang released the travel authority at the last minute. The Palace denied the claim, saying she received the document a day before her scheduled departure.

The issue comes as Duterte skipped House impeachment proceedings while facing allegations of misuse of funds and betrayal of public trust.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro also questioned the timing of the trip.

“Is it prudent to take a vacation?” Castro said, adding that “what matters most now is why the Vice President changed her mind — what made her change her mind is the P6.7-billion question,” referring to transactions flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.