By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA,l — Malacañang on Monday brushed aside claims by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte that the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte was orchestrated to eliminate her as a potential contender in the 2028 presidential elections.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the impeachment process was driven by questions surrounding the Vice President’s use of public funds and should not be portrayed as part of a political conspiracy.
She stressed that no evidence has been presented to support allegations that a three-year plan exists to stop Duterte from seeking higher office.
“If there was really such a plan, then the Vice President should have been even more careful in managing the confidential funds entrusted to her office,” Castro said, referring to allegations involving undocumented expenditures, ghost vouchers, and questionable food pack transactions cited during the impeachment proceedings.
Castro emphasized that the central issue remains whether government funds were properly spent and adequately accounted for.
“The public deserves transparency. This is about accountability, not about preventing anyone from running for president,” she said.
The Palace official also criticized Duterte’s overseas trip to Germany to attend a Taylor Swift concert while Typhoon Carina was affecting parts of the country, saying public officials are expected to remain focused on their duties during national emergencies.
She added that if the Vice President can sufficiently explain the issues raised against her and clear her name, there is no legal obstacle preventing her from seeking the presidency in 2028.
Castro likewise dismissed renewed references by the Duterte camp to the alleged “Oplan Romanov,” saying no proof has ever been presented to establish that such an operation exists.
She noted that the term “Romanov” first surfaced in January 2024 when Mayor Duterte publicly mentioned it during a political gathering in Davao City.
According to Castro, the controversy later escalated after former President Rodrigo Duterte, Mayor Duterte, and Vice President Duterte separately made remarks that Malacañang interpreted as threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Despite repeated references to “Oplan Romanov,” Castro said the Duterte camp has yet to produce any evidence showing that such a plot was ever carried out against the Vice President.
Malacañang maintained that the impeachment case should proceed based on facts and evidence presented before the constitutional process, rather than on allegations of political persecution.
ia/xf
