Sara Duterte traveled to Kuwait to visit Filipino community — OVP

Vice President Sara Duterte traveled to Kuwait on Friday to visit the Filipino community in the Middle Eastern country, her office said Saturday.

In a statement, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) said Duterte flew to Kuwait to join Filipinos there for a gathering to discuss concerns and issues impacting their sector.

"As part of the Vice President'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," the OVP said.

"She will then proceed to continue working on the release of our former head of state Rodrigo Duterte who was forcibly taken from Philippine soil," it added.

The OVP stressed that Duterte's 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.

"In addition, no public funds are used for all her travels overseas," the Vice President's office said.

Moreover, the statement added that Vice President's office, along with its 10 satellite offices across the country, "remains ready to serve and assist our fellow Filipinos both here and abroad, despite limitations in capacity and budget."

Malacañang has criticized Duterte for defending her foreign trips and for saying that Filipino communities abroad were supposedly frustrated with the country's state.

Palace Press Office Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said Duterte's "personal trips" abroad would not solve the country's problems. She added that it was not the duty of the Vice President to lash out and discredit President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

In statement on Saturday regarding Duterte's travel to Kuwait, Castro said the administration would leave it to the Office of the Vice President to speak about her trips this August.

Duterte explained in a recent interview why she has been traveling abroad these past months.

“Lumalabas ako ng bansa dahil frustrated na ang Filipino communities abroad sa nangyayari dito sa ating bayan. At pangalawa, bumibisita ako sa tatay ko na nakakulong,” she added.

(I go outside the country because Filipino communities abroad are frustrated with what’s happening in our country. Secondly, I visit my detained father.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News