Malacañang has shrugged off the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte's expression of confidence that she would emerge victorious in her looming impeachment trial at the Senate.

“Kung yan ang istratahiya nila, hayaan po natin (If that is their strategy, let them be)," Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing on Thursday, April 24.

Castro reiterated that Duterte's looming impeachment trial is out of the Palace's hands.

"Wala po sa kamay ngayon ng Pangulo ang patungkol sa impeachment trial. Kung ano po ang magaganap dito, nasa kamay na po ito ng Senado (The impeachment trial is no longer in the hands of the President. Whatever happens here is now in the hands of the Senate)," she said.

"Wala pong kinalaman ng Palasyo sa impeachment trial (The Palace has nothing to do with the impeachment trial)," she stressed.

Meanwhile, the Palace Press Officer rejected suggestions that the President would also be held to the same standard on transparency and accountability, especially as one of the top spenders of confidential and intelligence funds.

"Hindi po nakatanggap ang Office of the President ng AOM or Notice of Disallowance (The Office of the President has not received an Audit Observation Memorandum or Notice of Disallowance)," she said.

"Kung sino man ang nakatanggap nito at kung sino man ang kinakailangan magpaliwanag dito, mauna muna po siya magpaliwanag dahil meron pong trial na darating po (Whoever received these and whoever is required to explain should do so first because there is a trial coming)," she added.

Vice President Duterte is facing impeachment over alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds allocated to her offices.

The case stemmed from findings that her offices spent hundreds of millions in confidential funds within a short span of time and involving suspicious names related to different food items, raising red flags among lawmakers.

Vice President Duterte’s allies have maintained that the charges are politically motivated.

The Senate has yet to announce a specific timeline for the commencement of the trial.