Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, Aug. 6, called on Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro to uphold "professionalism" when speaking on behalf of the Office of the President.

After Castro dismissed Duterte's earlier remarks as "baseless" and "nonsense," particularly her allegation that the Marcos administration had aided the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President said the Palace spokesperson should maintain professional standards, stressing that someone speaking on behalf of the President must be careful with her statements.

“Ulitin ko ha, si Claire Castro is a spokesperson of the President and the Office of the President (Let me repeat: Claire Castro is a spokesperson of the President and the Office of the President),” Duterte said in an interview after attending the Thanksgiving Mass for the Kadayawan Festival at San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City.

“Hindi ko alam kung kaninong spokesperson siya pero by the fact na spokesperson ka at mayroong seal ng Office of the President diyan, dapat maging professional ka sa mga sinasabi mo (I am not certain whose spokesperson she specifically is, but by the fact that she carries the title of spokesperson and uses the seal of the Office of the President, she is expected to be professional in her statements),” she added.

Duterte said government spokespersons are held to a different standard than private individuals.

“She doesn’t have the liberty na tulad sa atin na pwedeng magsalita ng kahit anong iniisip natin at kahit anong opinion natin kasi nagsasalita tayo para sa sarili natin (She does not have the liberty, as we do, to freely express whatever we think or whatever opinions we have because we speak only for ourselves),” Duterte said.

“Pero kapag may seal sa likod mo, sa harap mo, kung ano yung professionalism na hinihingi galing doon sa opisina na yun, yun dapat ipakita at ibigay mo sa taong bayan (But when you carry the seal behind you or in front of you, you must demonstrate to the public the professionalism expected of that office),” she added.

Meanwhile, Duterte declined to comment on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s recent visit to the People's Ville housing project in Calinan, Davao City, which she said was initiated during her tenure as city mayor.

“Project namin 'yan nung mayor ako, di ba? So ayaw ko mag-comment sa kanyang pagbisita (That was our project when I was mayor, wasn't it? So I don't want to comment on his visit),” Duterte said.

Instead, Duterte suggested that reporters ask the residents who met the President during the visit for their views.

“Siguro ang mas maganda ay ipa-comment natin yung mga tao na binisita niya dahil wala naman ako doon nung bumisita siya (Perhaps it would be better to ask the people he visited for their comments because I was not there when he came),” Duterte said.

“So, mas maganda tanungin natin yung mga tao na nandoon kung ano yung komento nila, ano yung opinion nila sa pagbisita ni BBM doon (It would be better to ask the people who were there what their comments and opinions are about BBM's visit),” she added.

Responding to calls for the national government to address flooding in Davao City, Duterte said flood mitigation should not be limited to one locality but should be treated as a nationwide priority.

“Dapat tutukan ng gobyerno ang baha sa lahat ng lugar ng Pilipinas hindi lang sa Davao City (The government should address flooding in all parts of the Philippines, not only in Davao City),” Duterte said.

She noted that flooding also affects provinces such as Ilocos, Pampanga, and Bulacan, particularly low-lying communities during heavy rains and typhoons.

“Lahat ng mga low-lying areas sa panahon ng malakas na pag ulan at pagbagyo kailangan tutukan, dahil delikado na merong mamatay dahil sa mga pagbaha (All low-lying areas during periods of heavy rainfall and typhoons must be closely monitored because flooding is dangerous and can claim lives),” Duterte said.

“So, hindi lang Davao City, dapat buong bansa dahil ang Pangulo naman ay pangulo ng buong bansa (So the focus should not only be on Davao City but on the entire country because the President is the leader of the whole nation),” she added.