Very emotional.

This was how Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro described Vice President Sara Duterte in her latest tirades to President Marcos.

Before commenting on the statements made by Duterte against the administration, Castro said the vice president was very emotional in responding to the Palace's remarks in relation to her supposed “personal trip” to Australia.

“When emotions are high, intelligence is low. Never speak out of anger,” Castro told Duterte on Thursday, June 26.

Castro said this after Duterte called people in the administration “stupid” and are being deliberately ignorant for questioning whether her trips were personal or for the people.

The Palace official countered back saying that they were not questioning her for taking a personal trip.

“Dahil maliwanag po sa ulat na personal trip ang ginawa po niya, at hindi po natin kinukwestyon. Ang sabi po natin noong nakaraan ay it's her choice kung diyan po siya abala sa kanya private or personal trips with her family (Because it's clear from the reports that it was a personal trip she took, and we are not questioning that. As we've said before, it’s her choice if she wants to be busy with private or personal trips with her family),” Castro said.

However, Castro pointed out that Duterte also said she was still working while she was on her trip, adding that “perhaps she was too emotional that she stated it was not only a personal trip.”

Castro also cited the usage of the official Facebook page of the Office of the Vice President to document her engagement in Melbourne, Australia, where she spoke before Filipinos at the “Free Duterte Now” rally on June 22.

She said this would warrant both ethical and accountability concerns. It will also cause confusion and conflict of interest.

“Pero hindi po niya kasi ibinunyag na gagawa siya diumano ng official functions. Magiging magkaiba po 'yon kung ang sinabi niya po na personal trip pero mayroon po pala siyang gagawing official functions. Kasi magkakaroon po dito ng ethical and accountability concerns (But she did not disclose that she would supposedly be doing official functions. That would have made a difference if she had said it was a personal trip but then actually had official duties lined up. That brings up ethical and accountability concerns),” Castro said.

“So, ang tanong natin, kung hindi ito naging personal trip sana ay naging tapat siya sa pagsasabi kung ano ba ang dahilan ng kanyang pagpunta sa Australia at hindi naman ito tututulan ng administrasyon (So our question is, if it was not merely a personal trip, then she should have been honest about the purpose of her visit to Australia. The administration would not have objected),” Castro added.

Considering that he was performing her official functions while abroad, Duterte must report to the people the things she was able to accomplish during her trip, according to Castro.

“At ngayon na inamin niya, sinabi niya na siya ay nagtatrabaho bilang bise presidente, lumabas siya ng bansa, kailangan na po siyang mag-ulat sa bayan (And now that she has admitted she was working in her capacity as vice president and traveled abroad, she now needs to report to the people),” the Palace official said.

“Ano ang ginawa niya sa Australia, ano ang naging resulta ng kanyang pagganap official functions sa Australia, at kailangan niya pong iulat sa taumbayan kung sino ang mga kasama niya at kung lahat ba ng kasama niya ay pinondohan lamang niya (What did she do in Australia? What were the results of her supposed official functions there? She must disclose who accompanied her and whether she personally covered all their expenses),” she added.

According to Castro, the Office of the President granted Duterte's travel order. Her delegates, however, were approved by the OVP.

“Dapat po si VP Sara mismo ang magliwanag niyan sa atin dahil magulo po ang kanyang mga salita (It should be VP Sara herself who should clarify this to us, because her statements have been inconsistent and confusing),” Castro said.