Palace Press Officer Claire Castro criticized Vice President Sara Duterte over her remarks claiming that the Philippines allegedly has “no more money.”
Duterte made the statement during an interview in The Hague, where she said the Office of the Vice President (OVP) had received a memorandum instructing the office to account for its savings because the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) supposedly wanted to review them.
Responding to the remarks, Castro questioned the Vice President’s statements and said it reflected the difficulty of having an official who was allegedly “always on vacation.”
Castro said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. immediately implemented measures after tensions in the Middle East escalated. According to her, the administration acted to address the needs of sectors affected by the conflict, including Filipinos in the country and overseas Filipino workers abroad.
She added that Marcos is currently attending the ASEAN Summit while Duterte supposedly remains on vacation.
The exchange marked another public disagreement between the camp of the President and the Vice President amid continuing political tensions.
Duterte earlier claimed that the OVP had been instructed to count and report its savings following a memorandum related to its budget.
Castro, however, defended the government’s actions and emphasized that the administration remains focused on responding to international developments and assisting affected Filipinos.
The Palace official did not directly address Duterte’s claim regarding the DBM memorandum but instead highlighted the government’s ongoing response efforts connected to the Middle East situation.
No additional statement from the Office of the Vice President was immediately released following Castro’s remarks.
