Marilyn Cahatol

Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Office of The Vice President in Mandaluyong City on December 11, 2024, after skipping on the same day a National Bureau of Investigation probe on her remarks of having  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assassinated should she be killed. Duterte stood firm that she would not present herself before the NBI saying that its inquiry was “unfair.” Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Vice president-Sara Duterte-Presscon

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175923137856420240125-bbm-sara-duterte-educ-report-JC-15 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the Basic Education Report 2024 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on January 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the Basic Education Report 2024 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on January 25, 2024. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte should know the difference between an allegation and a conviction, Malacañang said on Tuesday, after the second-in-command <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/29/vp-sara-duterte-links-ex-speaker-romualdez-to-illegal-gambling-1545">accused </a>Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of corruption and insinuated that the Palace may also be involved in anomalous transactions.</p><p>In a statement, Duterte noted that Romualdez’s name was mentioned several times in a Delaware case concerning a luxury resort and a casino, where heavy pieces of luggage were allegedly brought to the lawmaker “as part of a dubious bargain,” adding that “the flood waters of truth and accountability will flow all the way to Malacañang.”</p><p>“Siya naman po ay abogado so dapat malaman niya kung ano ba ang pagkakaiba ng na-mention at ang conviction,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing.</p><p>“Iyong binabanggit niya pong decision sa Delaware court, muli, nakita po natin ito pero wala rin pong mention na si Speaker Romualdez or si Representative Romualdez ay guilty,” she said.</p><p>“Siya po mismo, ang Bise Presidente, ay nami-mention din sa mga diumano’y maanomalya na transaksiyon, dapat po ba natin siyang husgahan katulad ng ginagawa niya ngayon sa ibang mga mambabatas?”</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/29/palace-blasts-sara-duterte-over-unstable-government-tirade-1618">&#x27;Malaking kasinungalingan&#x27;: Palace blasts Sara Duterte over &#x27;unstable government&#x27; tirade</a></div><p>The House earlier in June adopted the committee report of its committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which conducted an inquiry into the alleged misuse of Duterte’s confidential funds.</p><p>The panel <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/27/house-panel-may-recommend-plunder-case-vs-vp-duterte-over-confidential-funds-2211">recommended </a>filing a plunder case against Duterte and others due to allegations of “amassing at least P50 million in public funds while the confidential funds supposedly misused amounting to P612.5 million.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/palace-tells-sara-duterte-s-camp-coa-notice-of-disallowance-has-presumption-of-fund-misuse-0019">Palace tells Sara Duterte’s camp: COA notice of disallowance has presumption of fund misuse</a></div><p>Castro also denied Duterte’s accusation that it was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who anointed his first cousin to become House Speaker in the first half of his presidency.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/18/vp-duterte-claims-dy-s-election-as-house-speaker-part-of-sandro-marcos-romualdez-plan-1434">&#x27;Sila-sila lang din &#x27;yan&#x27;: VP Duterte claims Dy&#x27;s election as House speaker part of Sandro Marcos, Romualdez plan</a></div><p>“Huwag niya (Duterte) pong kalimutan na mayroon pong separation of powers,” the Communications official said.</p><p>“Wala pong kinalaman o wala pong maaaring responsibilidad sa pagpili noon kay Rep. Martin Romualdez bilang House Speaker so huwag niya pong kakalimutan iyon,” she said.</p><p>Malacañang also blasted Duterte for calling out Marcos’ allegedly “flawed judgment” when the administration “merely changed the leadership in both Houses of Congress” amid revelations that lawmakers have been supposedly conniving with government contractors to plunder funds from flood control projects.</p><p>Castro referred to Duterte’s tirade as a diversionary tactic, underscoring that it was Marcos who initiated the investigation into the flood control mess after the Chief Executive released the full list of flood control projects to the public in the last 3 years.</p><p>“Hindi po malilinis ng Bise Presidente ang mga akusasyon, hindi lamang akusasyon kung hindi pag-amin ng kaniyang ama mismo tungkol sa pagnanakaw sa pondo ng bayan,” she said, referring to previous anomalies under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/23/icc-office-of-the-prosecutor-releases-details-of-charges-vs-duterte-0057">Prosecutors charge Duterte with 3 counts of murder &#x27;as crime against humanity&#x27; at ICC</a></div><p>“Huwag niya pong ipahid kung anuman ang nangyari noong nakaraang panahon at ng administrasyon sa Pangulo na ngayon na siya mismo nagpapaimbestiga ng maanomalyang flood control projects,” she said.</p><p>“Ang tangi lamang po yata niyang alam ay sirain ang Pangulong Marcos Jr.”</p><p>Malacañang clarified that it is not defending Romualdez, but is just reacting to the Vice President’s statement.</p><p>“Ang sabi niya (Duterte) po sa salita napabalita, so ibig sabihin nabanggit lang pero walang naging desisyon ang korte tungkol sa diumanong suhol,” the Communications official said. Meantime, the former House Speaker had earlier denied his involvement in the case of the luxury casino.</p><p>“Sa isyung Okada/Delaware, malinaw: hindi ako kasali, hindi ako iniimbestigahan, at hindi ako akusado. Wala akong kinalaman sa kasong iyon, na away ng dalawang negosyo. Binabalik lang ngayon para siraan ako,” Romualdez said in an earlier statement.</p><p>“These stories about ‘suitcases of cash’ are pure fiction. Lahat guni-guni. Madaling magturo, madaling mag-imbento — pero ang katotohanan, hindi kayang patunayan. Until today, wala pa ring ipinakitang ebidensya — puro sabi-sabi lang na inuulit-ulit,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/24/palace-wants-return-of-ill-gotten-wealth-for-witness-protection-bid-1426">Palace wants return of ill-gotten wealth for witness protection bid</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/escMTroG79s?si=GABiRG_l71PVuGNx" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABj3xUxcwGzIZvcB"></script>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte should know the difference between an allegation and a conviction, Malacañang said on Tuesday, after the second-in-command accused Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of corruption and insinuated that the Palace may also be involved in anomalous transactions.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte should know the difference between an allegation and a conviction, Malacañang said on Tuesday, after the second-in-command accused Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of corruption and insinuated that the Palace may also be involved in anomalous transactions.

Malacañang slams Sara Duterte over claims of alleged Palace involvement in Romualdez’s corruption link

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Malacañang slams Sara Duterte over claims of alleged Palace involvement in Romualdez’s corruption link

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 30, 2025 07:34 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 30, 2025 09:20 PM PHT

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Martin Romualdez

Sara Duterte

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