ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (left), and Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB, Facebook)

For ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Vice President Sara Duterte's recent visit to her predecessor, Leni Robredo was nothing more than another diversionary move. 

In other words, another "squid tactic". 

"While the visit is described as personal and not political, we must remain vigilant and focused on the more significant issue at hand—holding Vice President Duterte accountable for the P125 million in confidential funds spent over just 11 days in 2022," the Makabayan congresswoman said over the weekend. 

"We should not be sidetracked by these maneuvers. The public deserves transparency and accountability, particularly on matters involving public funds. The questions surrounding the use of these confidential funds must be addressed and clarified," Castro stressed. 

Vice President Duterte's visit to Robredo's residence in Naga City coincided with the celebration of the Penafrancia Festival.  

Robredo served as the Vice President from 2016 to 2022, or during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, the current Vice President. Robredo was the clear opposition leader during the latter part of her term. 

READ THIS: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/22/a-master-stroke-guanzon-impressed-by-vp-duterte-s-publicized-visit-to-robredo 

Castro chided Vice President Duterte and said that she should have followed Robredo's example by actually participating in the budget process in the House of Representatives.  

"We must concentrate on demanding accountability and transparency from our leaders. This is crucial for democracy and governance," she said. 

Castro was the one who first likened Vice President Duterte's actions to that of a squid. This was mainly due to the latter’s perceived evasiveness in answering questions about her budget usage. 

A squid excretes a cloud of ink as a way to escape its predators.