Palace on VP Sara's trip to Australia: Personal or for country?

''Pang personal o pang bayan? That is the question.'' 

This was the reaction of Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro on Friday as regards the travel of Vice President Sara Duterte to Australia for a personal trip. 

''So, wala po tayong masasabi; kung anuman po ang ginagawa ngayon bilang Bise Presidente, ito po ang nakikita ng taumbayan sa kaniyang ginagawa bilang isang halal na lider ng bansa,'' she added.
 
(We can't say anything as regards the activities of the Vice President. Filipinos see what she is doing as an elected leader of the country.)

Castro said it would be Duterte's choice if she prefers to travel. 

''So, kung doon po abala ang ating Bise Presidente sa mga personal trips niya o personal trips with her family, choice po ng Bise Presidente iyon,'' Castro said.

(If the Vice President is busy with her personal trips or personal trips with her family, that's her choice.) 

House of Representatives spokesperson Atty. Princess Abante could not confirm whether Duterte's trip was personal or official.

However, Abante said elected officials must use their time—whether at home or abroad—for the service of the people. 

“Hindi ko alam kung if that is an official travel or if it’s a personal travel. But lagi-lagi, bilang halal na opisyal ng bayan, ‘yung oras mo na ginugugol, oras mo sa loob at labas ng ating bansa, ito man ay pang-personal o official, dapat para sa taumbayan, hindi sa personal na interes,” Abante said in a press conference.

(I don't know if that is an official travel or if it's a personal travel. But always, as an elected official of the country, the time you spend, your time inside and outside our country, whether it is personal or official, should be for the people, not for personal interest.)

The House spokesperson said honoring the people’s trust is important.

“Para hindi nasasayang ang tiwala, ang pondo at ibinigay na mandato ng Pilipino sa atin,” she said.

(So that the trust, funds and mandate given to us by the Filipino people are not wasted.)

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) revealed that Duterte's itinerary includes attendance at the "Free Duterte Now" rally on Sunday, June 22, in Melbourne. 

The elder Duterte is currently detained at the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, Netherlands over charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during his administration's war on drugs.

GMA News Online has reached out to the OVP for comment on Castro's remark but it has yet to reply as of posting time.

Last week, the Vice President traveled to Kuala Lumpur for a personal trip with her family. While in Malaysia, she attended a Philippine Independence Day celebration and engaged in a program consultation with overseas Filipino workers. 

Castro earlier slammed those who are taking vacations instead of performing government work, noting that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is focused on action.— RSJ/VBL/KG, GMA Integrated News