By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to confront allegations linking her to billions of pesos in alleged cash deliveries with evidence, rather than countering the accusations with attacks against the administration and its critics.
Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro issued the challenge after Duterte denied knowing former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso and rejected allegations that he delivered cash-filled suitcases to her.
Duterte had instead accused the Marcos administration of becoming “desperate” to bring her down, push Charter change, prevent the 2028 elections and remain in power.
Castro said the vice president should focus on answering the allegations directly.
“Maturuan sana ang Bise Presidente na matuto siyang sumagot ng may ebidensiya sa mga inaakusa sa kanya bago magturo ng iba,” Castro said.
The Palace official then sharpened her criticism, telling Duterte that her defense needed improvement.
“Uulit-ulitin natin para tumimo sa isipan… She needs to level up her defending skills so she can appear credible, if only for once,” Castro said.
The clash followed Gracioso’s allegations that he had made more than 20 deliveries of cash-filled suitcases allegedly intended for Duterte, with the total amount he claimed exceeding P2 billion.
Gracioso also alleged that more than P1 billion was delivered to detained former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The National Bureau of Investigation is now investigating Gracioso’s allegations.
Duterte has denied knowing Gracioso or receiving money from him. She has also characterized the accusations against her as part of an effort to bring her down.
The allegations have likewise drawn a denial from the camp of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, for whom Gracioso had reportedly worked as a security aide. Velasco’s lawyer rejected Gracioso’s claims involving the former speaker and his wife, describing them as fabricated, logically inconsistent and contradicted by verifiable facts.
With the NBI probe underway, the competing claims remain allegations requiring evidence and verification.
For Malacañang, however, the political exchange has already produced a direct challenge to the vice president: answer the accusations with evidence—not merely with accusations of her own.
ia/xf
