Campaign vs Sara in 2028? Claire Castro hits back at Baste

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro countered the statements of Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte regarding the administration's alleged use of an impeachment case to block Vice President Sara Duterte's presidential campaign for the year 2028.

"Noong simula pa lang, when the impeachment campaign began, it was what? Three years ago? Kahit noong simula pa lang ng termino ni Marcos 'yan, nung nagkalabuan na, nandiyan na 'yang usapang impeachment laban sa bise presidente. Para sa ano? Confidential funds. Ngayon, dinadagdagan nila ng kung ano-anong puwedeng idagdag (From the very beginning, when the impeachment campaign began, it was what? Three years ago? Even at the start of Marcos' term, when things began to turn sour, talks of impeachment against the vice presidentvice president were already there. For what? Confidential funds. Now, they are adding whatever else they can add)," the mayor said in an interview in The Hague.

Castro responded: "Three years?...Ibig sabihin, pagkapanalo pa lang niya bilang bise presidente, pinaplano na niya na maging presidente? (Three years?... Does that mean right after she won as vice president, she was already planning to become president?)"

Castro also emphasized the Vice President's alleged shortcomings, which could become major issues in her plan to run for a higher office.

"Kung alam pala nila na tatlong taon na itong pinagpaplanuhan... Sana mas naging maingat ang bise presidente sa paggamit ng kaniyang confidential funds, at hindi rin naabuso ang mga pondo patungkol sa mga ghost vouchers at ghost food packs na nakita ng COA (If they knew that this had been planned for three years... The vice president should have been more careful in using her confidential funds, and the funds concerning the ghost vouchers and ghost food packs discovered by COA should not have been abused)," she said.

"Hindi ba dapat naging mas masipag ang bise presidente at hindi puro pangingibang-bansa? Kasi definitely, maiisyu sa kaniya ito (Shouldn't the vice president have been more hardworking instead of constantly traveling abroad? Because definitely, this will be used as an issue against her)," she added.

Castro also recalled the mayor's previous statements regarding "Operation Romanov" back in January 2024, which allegedly served as a threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. This statement was made months before the vice president's controversial death threat video in November 2024.

"Sa totoo lang, sinimulan ito ni dating Pangulong Duterte, sinundan ni Mayor Baste Duterte, at pumangatlo ang bise presidente. Lahat sila ay nagbanta sa buhay ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. (Truth be told, this was started by former President Duterte, followed by Mayor Baste Duterte, and the vice president came third. All of them made threats against the life of President Marcos Jr.)," Castro highlighted.