Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte answers questions during a post-event press conference, June 25., 2025. 
Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

PRIDE MONTH EVENT- VP Sara

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><br/><iframe width="1250" height="703" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kcHmhufXcUU" title="&#x27;Bobo&#x27;? Palace answers VP Sara, says &#x27;intelligence is low&#x27; when emotions are high | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div><p>MANILA — The word war between Vice President Sara Duterte and Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro continued Thursday following criticisms on the former’s personal trips abroad.</p><p>Duterte on Wednesday clarified that her recent overseas trips were neither a holiday nor vacation and that <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/sara-duterte-on-her-overseas-trips-hindi-ako-gumagamit-ng-pera-ng-bayan-1939">she has been using her personal money</a>. </p><p>“Hindi ko alam kung sinasadya nilang wag intindihin o bobo lang yung nasa administrasyon. I like to believe the latter,” the vice president said in a media interview in Pampanga on June 25.</p><p>In response, Castro criticized the way Duterte answered, which she described as emotional.</p><p>“Nakita po natin kung papaano po sumagot ang Bise Presidente, napaka-emotional. Sabi nga po natin, may kasabihan po na ‘when emotions are high, intelligence is low,” Castro said in a press briefing. </p><p>“Never speak out of anger, dahil maliwanag po sa ulat na personal trip ang ginawa po niya,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/23/sara-duterte-pleads-impeachment-case-unconstitutional-1725">RELATED: Sara Duterte pleads impeachment case unconstitutional</a></div><p>Castro said that the Palace did not question Duterte&#x27;s personal trips and that it was the vice president’s choice whether to prioritize private or personal trips.</p><p>“Pero, hindi po niya kasi ibinunyag na gagawa siya di umano ng official functions. Magiging magkaiba po iyon kung ang sinabi niya kahit po isa sa inyo, sa media na personal trip, pero mayroon po pala siyang gagawing official functions,” the Palace official noted.</p><p>“Kasi, magkakaroon po dito ng ethical and accountability concerns. Since siya po ay medyo emotional kahapon daw po iyon ay nabanggit niya nga po na hindi lang ito personal trip,” she added.</p><p>She noted that Duterte requested a travel authority from the Office of the President, which was also granted.</p><p>Castro urged Duterte to be “honest” with the nature of her trips, saying that the Marcos administration would not oppose it.</p><p>“So, ang tanong natin, kung hindi ito personal trip, sana ay naging tapat siya sa pagsasabi kung ano ba ang dahilan ng kanyang pagpunta sa Australia at hindi naman ito tutulan ng administrasyon. At ginamit ng OVP Facebook, ito ay parte ng gobyerno, pero pang-personal trip. So, magkakaroon po talagang confusion, conflict of interest,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/house-prosecution-ready-to-respond-to-vp-duterte-s-answer-ad-cautelam-1528">House prosecution &#x27;ready&#x27; to respond to VP Duterte&#x27;s Answer Ad Cautelam</a></div><p>The Palace official urged Duterte to disclose what happened during her Australia trip.</p><p>“At ngayon na inamin niya, sinabi niya na siya ay nagtatrabaho, bilang Bise Presidente, lumabas siya ng bansa, kailangan na po siyang mag-ulat sa bayan, ano ang ginawa niya sa Australia, ano ang naging resulta ng kanyang official function sa pagganap sa kanyang official functions sa Australia at kailangan din niya po iulat sa taumbayan kung sino iyong mga kasama niya at kung lahat ba ng kasama niya ay pinondohan lamang niya,” she claimed.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/22/sara-duterte-to-filipinos-in-melbourne-convince-australia-to-look-into-injustice-vs-digong-1601">Sara Duterte tells Filipinos in Melbourne: Urge Australia to look into &#x27;injustice&#x27; vs Digong</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pm5zg6uUUYk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The word war between Vice President Sara Duterte and Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro continues following criticisms on the former’s personal trips abroad.</p>

The word war between Vice President Sara Duterte and Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro continues following criticisms on the former’s personal trips abroad.

Palace hits back at Sara Duterte over personal trip issue: When emotions are high, intelligence is low

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Palace hits back at Sara Duterte over personal trip issue: When emotions are high, intelligence is low

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 26, 2025 03:07 PM PHT

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