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OVP maintains Sara Duterte's presence abroad ‘lawful’, no public funds used

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> — The Office of the Vice President maintained that Vice President Sara Duterte’s overseas trips are in compliance with Philippine laws and government regulations. </p><p>In a statement, the OVP said Duterte went to Kuwait on Friday, August 15, for a Filipino community gathering “to discuss concerns and issues impacting their sector”.</p><p>“As part of the Vice President&#x27;s mandate to represent and advocate for the welfare of all Filipinos, including those overseas, it is essential that she remains actively engaged with the Filipino migrant communities wherever they may be,” it stated.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/6/where-is-vp-spox-mum-on-sara-duterte-s-whereabouts-ahead-of-senate-impeachment-debates-1329"><strong>Where is VP? Spox mum on Sara Duterte’s whereabouts ahead of Senate impeachment debates</strong></a></div><p>The vice president will then proceed to “continue working on the release” of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently at the International Criminal Court detention facility in The Hague, the Netherlands.</p><p>“These official engagements are conducted in full compliance with existing government rules and regulations, ensuring that her presence abroad is both lawful and aligned with her responsibilities in public service,” it added.</p><p>“In addition, no public funds are used for all her travels overseas,” Duterte’s office said.</p><p>The OVP further clarified that it remains ready to serve and assist Filipinos both in the country and abroad “despite limitations in capacity and budget.”</p><p>When asked for confirmation if Duterte was given a travel authority and until when, Palace Press Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said, “Hayaan po natin na OVP ang magsabi ng mga byahe niya ngayong August.”</p><p>(Let us leave it to the OVP to speak about her trips this August)</p><p>Duterte’s frequent travel overseas has been met with criticisms from the Palace.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/23/sara-duterte-on-australia-personal-trip-clearly-i-m-not-on-holiday-0906"><strong>Sara Duterte on Australia personal trip: Clearly I’m not on holiday</strong></a></div><p>Duterte and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro have locked horns over the vice president&#x27;s whereabouts.</p><p>Castro had refuted Duterte when the latter accused the Office of the President of “political scapegoating” for allegedly claiming that she travelled to Kuwait without a travel authority.</p><p>In a press briefing in India Wednesday, August 6 on the sidelines of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit, the Palace official said that based on the Office of the Executive Secretary, the last travel authority issued to Duterte was from July 5-28.</p><p>She only said that there were reports that she might travel to Kuwait on August 8 but there was no travel authority application from Duterte at the moment.</p><p>In response, Duterte said she had not watched the briefing where Castro supposedly made the comment, but claimed that it could have been a distraction from the Senate voting to archive the impeachment case against her.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/9/palace-hits-sara-duterte-aren-t-you-one-of-this-country-s-problems-1744"><strong>Palace hits Sara Duterte: Aren’t you one of this country’s problems?</strong></a></div><p>“There’s no truth at all na I went to Kuwait without a travel authority,” Duterte said in an interview in Davao City on August 7.</p><div><br/></div><div><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/eKC3zXHBdXc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Office of the Vice President maintained that Vice President Sara Duterte’s overseas trips are in compliance with Philippine laws and government regulations.</p>

The Office of the Vice President maintained that Vice President Sara Duterte’s overseas trips are in compliance with Philippine laws and government regulations.

OVP: Sara Duterte's trips abroad authorized, privately funded

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OVP: Sara Duterte's trips abroad authorized, privately funded

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 16, 2025 10:16 AM PHT

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Updated August 16, 2025 06:55 PM PHT

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