Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesman finds it “incredible” for her to use a helicopter every day to Davao City when it is technically impossible for the small aircraft to make the travel daily.
Lawyer Reynold Munsayac raised the improbability of taking the helicopter all the way to Davao City since the normal range of choppers is 400 to 700 kilometers without refuel.
Arguing that Davao City is at least 1,000 kilometers away, he said it is impossible for the Vice President to take a chopper home every day.
“Wala sigurong gumagawa niyang bumibyahe mula (Maybe no one does that traveling from) Manila papuntang (to) Davao ng (via) helicopter,” Munsayac insisted.
“Kapag eroplano nga ang gamit mga (When you use the airplane, you need around) two hours tumatagal paano pa iyon (so how can that be). So, ano yan malinaw na malinaw po na merong malisyang angulo ginawa ‘yung mga tao (that is very clear that there is malicious intent by the people) regarding this matter,” he added.
The lawyer stressed that Duterte never used government resources for personal purposes and had instead only used it for official functions.
On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Munsayac already clarified the reports, saying that the Vice President didn’t even need to go home to Davao anymore since her children are now studying in Manila.
READ: OVP spox says Inday Sara uses gov’t chopper for ‘official work’
Reading the prepared opening statement for the media briefing at the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) central office, the lawyer again clarified reports that Duterte had been using a chopper to go home to Davao City.
“Finally, we would like to reiterate that the circulating talk claiming that VP Sara is using a chopper everyday to go home to Davao is not true,” he read.
“Anyone who says otherwise should prove how that can be done,” the statement added.
Duterte’s camp also revealed plans to take legal actions against those peddling what it called malicious claims.
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.
In her birthday greeting to Marcos, Duterte highlighted how he has helped her cope as a working mother.
“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).