Social media is abuzz about Vice President Sara Duterte’s supposed use of a government helicopter to get home to her children at night, but the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Wednesday, Sept. 14, said the reports are fake news and that the official has always been protective of government resources.
Duterte’s use of the helicopter as she mentioned in her birthday greeting to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, Sept. 13, earned the ire of netizens since she said it was to get home in time for her children’s bedtime.
“Fake news po ‘yang araw-araw na gumagamit ng chopper para ihatid sa Davao kagaya ng inilalabas sa media (That’s fake news that a chopper takes her to Davao every day as reported by the media),” lawyer Reynold Munsayac, the Vice President’s spokesman, told reporters.
“Sa (In the) history po ng (of the) public service ni (of) VP Sara, alam ng lahat ng mga nakasama niya sa trabaho na (everyone she worked with knows that) she is very efficient and she protects government resources at all times,” he added.
Munsayac explained that Duterte is now Manila-based and her children are studying in the city.
They are all using land vehicles every day, the spokesman stressed.
“Ginagamit lang po ang (She is only using the) chopper kapag kailangan sa (when needed for) official work and functions, based sa lugar na pupuntahan at (on the place to go to and the) urgency of schedule,” Munsayac explained.
In her birthday greeting to Marcos, Duterte highlighted how he has helped her cope as a working mother.
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“Thank you, PBB, and your 250th PAW for ensuring that wherever I may be found in the country during the day, I am home in time to tuck my children to bed,” she said.
The 250th PAW, known as the Bluebirds, is one of the units of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) attached and assigned with the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
“Thank you for putting a premium on the desire of a working mother to be present in her children’s lives,” Duterte added.
Netizens, however, called out Duterte on their impression that she seemed to be using government resources for personal errands.