Malacañang said it would have been better if Vice President Sara Duterte had remained mayor of Davao City, saying the country could have had a vice president who actively helped President Marcos instead of criticizing the administration.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after Duterte expressed that she sometimes thought about what might have happened had she run for Davao City mayor instead of vice president.

In a press briefing on Friday, Feb 27, the Palace official agreed with the Vice President’s sentiments.

“Mas maganda po nga sana kung nanatili na lamang siyang mayor sa Davao City at nahalal natin ang isang bise presidente na tutulong sana sa ating Pangulo (Isn’t it better if she had just remained mayor of Davao City and we elected a vice president who would help our President?),” Castro said.

“Isang bise presidente na magtatrabaho, mag-aaksiyon at hindi bakasyon at hindi puro paninira ang gagawin sa ating Pangulo (A vice president who would work, take action, not go on vacations, and not just attack the President),” she added.

Castro said the country could have progressed further if the President had a supportive partner in governance.

“Mas umunlad sana… kapag siya’y may katuwang para sa pag-unlad ng bansa, mas naging mainam sana (The country could have progressed more… if he had a partner in advancing the nation, it would have been better),” she said.

Castro also cast doubt on Duterte’s claim that invitations for speaking engagements were canceled, allegedly out of fear of administration backlash.

She cited remarks by the Vice President’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who had previously described his daughter as a “drama queen” and, in another instance, said she had lied.

“Kailan pa ba natin paniniwalaan ang mga sinasabi ng Bise Presidente kung mismo ang kaniyang ama ay sinasabing siya ay nagsisinungaling (When should we believe what the Vice President says if her own father says she is lying)?” Castro said.

Responding to Duterte’s assertion that issues related to the International Criminal Court (ICC) involve national sovereignty, Castro said the President has been clear about defending Philippine territory.

“Not even a square inch of our territory will be surrendered to any foreign power,” Castro quoted from President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address.

She said the administration’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court is anchored on domestic law, obligations to Interpol, and what she described as the country’s “residual obligation.”

“Nananatili po tayo na ang ginagawa lang ng administrasyon ay ang pagtupad sa sarili nating batas at ang ating obligasyon sa Interpol pati na po ang tinatawag nating residual obligation (We maintain that the administration is only complying with our own laws and our obligation to INTERPOL, as well as what we call residual obligation),” Castro said.

Castro also questioned the credibility of the 18 supposed former Marines who claimed to have information about alleged irregularities, after Vice President Duterte praised them for their courage in speaking up.

The Palace Press Officer cited reports that four of them were reportedly not Marines.

“Doon pa lamang ay masasabi natin, ‘Oops, may nagsisinungaling! (From that alone, we can say, ‘Oops, someone is lying!’),” she said.

She further asked whether the Vice President could be behind the press conference of the group, which was reportedly followed by former congressman Mike Defensor.

“Ang ibig bang sabihin nito ay nasa likod din ba ang Bise Presidente sa mga tinuturan nitong labing-walo (Does this mean the Vice President is also behind what these eighteen are claiming)?” Castro asked.