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Palace on VP Sara being 'scammed': Isn't it the other way around?
Malacañang on Monday hit back at Vice President Sara Duterte for saying that she was scammed during the 2022 national election campaign.
''Kung na-scam po siya ng unity (If she was scammed by unity), isn't it the other way around?'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
''Hindi naman po siguro inakala din ng miyembro o ng mga miyembro ng UniTeam na mabilis magagastos ni VP Sara iyong P125 million confidential funds in just 11 days, hindi naman po siguro inisip iyon at nagbigay ng tiwala sa kanya,'' she added.
(It seems that the members of UniTeam also did not think that VP Sara will spend P125 million confidential funds in just 11 days, they didn't think of that, and instead, she was given trust.)
''Hindi rin po siguro inisip ng Uniteam noon na siya may mga kakilalang assassin at hindi rin po inisip ng Uniteam noon na ang gustong continuation, kasi parang mayroon pong sinabi na dapat may continuity, pero hindi rin po papayag ang Pangulo na ituloy po iyong sinasabing bloody tokhang at EJK,'' Castro said.
(It seems that the UniTeam did not also think that she knows an assassin and they also did not think that the continuation that she wants, because there were pronouncements that there should be continuity, but the President will not allow the bloody tokhang and EJK to continue.)
''Iyan naman po ang nais nilang iparating, maging kaawa-awa ang OVP, maging kaawa-awa ang Vice President. Kung tutuusin po natin, siya po naman ay binigyan ng pagkakataon para ipagtanggol, idepensa ang kanyang proposed budget,'' Castro said.
(That's what she wants to show, she wants pity for the OVP and for herself. She was given the chance to defend her proposed budget.)
''Hindi naman po hinahadlangan na magbigay ng tamang budget sa OVP, kung ito naman ay maipapaliwanag niya,'' she added.
(The budget allocation for the OVP was not being halted, but she should be able to explain it.)
The Vice President, who was President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr.'s running mate in the 2022 polls, has said she was scammed and deceived as they ran on a platform based on unity and continuity.
“Akala ko kasi mas gusto niya ng mas magandang bayan kasi ang plataporma namin nung tumakbo kami unity at continuity. Nadala na ako, na-scam na ako, nabudol na ako. Hindi ako mag-endorso ng kandidato kasi baka pagkatapos ng election, sasabihin ninyo na naman, na-scam kami ni Inday Sara,” she said.
(I thought he preferred a better nation because our platform when we ran was unity and continuity. I was taken in, I was scammed, I was deceived. I will not endorse a candidate because, after the election, you might say again we were scammed by Inday Sara.)
Marcos and Duterte's relationship turned sour after the House of Representatives began questioning the Vice President's use of confidential and intelligence funds.
To recall, the House committee on good government and public accountability had launched an investigation into the alleged questionable budget use of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which Duterte led.
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint.
The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate the same day, but the upper chamber adjourned without addressing the case.
Senate President Francis ''Chiz'' Escudero later released the initial timetable for the impeachment trial of Duterte, tentatively setting the start date on July 30.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
