President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN/Mark Balmores)
Malacañang has slammed Vice President Sara Duterte for claiming that President Marcos is not doing his job and only wants to stay in power, asserting that he is instead cleaning up the mess left by the previous administration.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro hit back at Duterte, saying she should not divert the attention from the wrongdoings of the Duterte administration.
In a press briefing in Zamboanga City on Tuesday, Oct. 14 the Vice President said she has never asked the President to resign, and instead is simply asking him to “do his job.”
Duterte also said that it is "pointless" to ask Marcos to resign because he will never relinquish his power even if there are calls to do so. She said in was already in Marcos' DNA, citing the 20-year rule of his father.
Castro countered, saying the Vice President is just "all talk" with no evidence and substance.
"Puro salita, puro bintang, walang ebidensya, walang kwenta (All talk, nothing but accusations, without evidence, without substance)," Castro said.
The Palace official pointed out that the truth is very clear—Marcos is fighting corruption that the past administration failed to do.
What is worse, she added, was that the past administration even defended the alleged abuse of public funds during Duterte's presidency, citing the Pharmally scandal.
"Alam na ang totoo, nilalabanan ni Pangulong Marcos, Jr. ang korapsyon ngayon na hindi nagawa ng dating administrasyon noon. Ang mas malala ay dinepensahan pa nila noon ang mga 'di umanong umabuso sa kaban ng bayan' kagaya ng sa Pharmally scandal (The truth is clear, President Marcos Jr. is now fighting corruption, something the previous administration failed to do. What’s worse is that they even defended those who allegedly abused public funds, as in the Pharmally scandal)," Castro said.
"Nililinis ngayon ang mga kinalat nila noon. Huwag ilihis ang mga naging kasalanan nila sa bayan (What they left behind is now being cleaned up. They should not divert attention from the wrongs they committed against the nation)," Castro added.