In a media interview in Zamboanga City on Wednesday, Oct. 15, the official agreed that it’s time to investigate the alleged corrupt practices across different government agencies.

“Hindi lang dapat sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Duterte kung meron pa sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Aquino, ni Pangulong Arroyo lahat, kasama na rin yung iskandalo sa korapsyon sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Marcos (Not only during the administration of [former] president Duterte, if there is [corruption] in the administration of [former] president Aquino, [former] president Arroyo, everyone, including the corruption issues in the administration of President Marcos),” she said.

“Huwag silang selective. Huwag silang Duterte ng Duterte lang. Kasi kung totoong korapsyon ang pinag-uusapan natin, hindi naman kahapon lang ang korapsyon. Ngayon lang siya lumaki ng ganito kagrabe na nasira yung ating bansa. Pero yung korapsyon, matagal na nareklamo yan ng bayan (They should not be selective to Duterte only. Because of we’re talking about corruption, that did not just happen yesterday. It just blew up now because our country is in disarray. But corruption, the people has been calling it out for a long time),” she added.

Duterte likewise claimed she doesn’t oppose to newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla’s order to open the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of government officials to the public.

However, she also said that Remulla shouldn’t be selective, urging him to look into everything, including the dismissal of his son’s drug case.

“Yes, halungkatin niya na nang halungkatin lahat sa akin pero huwag lang siya maging selective. Halungkatin niya din yung mabilisan na pag-dismiss ng kaso ng drugs case ng anak niya (Yes, he should look into everything about me but he shouldn’t be selective. He should also investigate the swift dismissal of his son’s case),” the Vice President pointed out, referring to the acquittal of Juanito Jose Remulla III in his illegal drug possession case in 2023.

“At yung iba pang mga kaso at posibleng kaso ng mga ka-alyado nila. So, wala tayong problema dyan, manghalungkat, halungkatin lahat (Including the other cases and possible cases of their allies. So, we don’t have a problem with that, investigate everything),” she stressed.

But the official also claimed she is a victim of “political scapegoating,” explaining that President Marcos has no accomplishments to speak of and instead attacks his political enemies to distract the public.

Duterte also shared that her father—former president Rodrigo Duterte—is himself worried about the state of the country’s affairs.

“Malungkot. Malungkot siya sa nangyayari sa bayan. Oo. Kasi frustrated siya kasi hindi siya makatulong ba. Gusto siya tumulong, hindi siya makatulong (Sad. He’s sad about what’s happening to our country. Yes. He’s frustrated because he couldn’t help. He likes to help, but he cannot),” she said.

The Vice President is currently in Zamboanga City to mark a milestone in the nationwide PagbaBAGo Tree Planting Campaign of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) by planting its one-millionth tree.