Politics · Philippines Bureau
Palace rejects Duterte's allegations of coordinated smear campaign
Malacañang dismissed Vice President Sara Duterte's claims that the Marcos administration orchestrated a campaign against her, urging her instead to address the accusations directly. Palace officials said Duterte should provide evidence in her defense rather than blame the President.
LSN Philippines ·
The Office of the President on Tuesday refuted Vice President Sara Duterte's assertion that the Marcos administration was orchestrating allegations against her, challenging her to respond substantively to the claims.
Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro stated that Duterte should present concrete evidence to defend herself against the accusations rather than attributing them to the President. Castro suggested that the Vice President's approach of blaming Ferdinand Marcos Jr. represented an attempt to deflect from addressing the specific allegations she faces.
The exchange marks the latest escalation in tensions between Duterte and the administration. The Vice President had previously suggested that coordinated efforts were underway to undermine her position, a claim the Palace categorically denied.
Castro's remarks underscored the administration's position that Duterte bears responsibility for substantiating her defense against the various accusations that have emerged. Officials indicated that shifting blame to the President does not constitute a proper response to the allegations in question.