Palace on VP Sara plunder case: Erring gov't execs should face probe

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. believes public officials behind criminal acts should undergo investigation and be held accountable, Malacañang said Thursday as it weighed in on the filing of charges against Vice President Sara Duterte.

During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked about the plunder, malversation, and graft complaint against Duterte before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged misuse of billions worth of confidential funds and other public funds.

"Ah, wala pong napag-uusapan patungkol po sa anumang kaso na naisampa sa Bise Presidente but ang Pangulo naman po natin ay naniniwala sa kakayahan ng Ombudsman at naniniwala sa katotohanan–muli, kung sino iyong dapat na managot ay dapat na managot," Castro said.

(We have not talked about any complaint against the Vice President but the President believes in the capacity of the Ombudsman, and in the truth— those who are liable must be held accountable.)

"So, kung may katotohanan ang mga akusasyon laban sa isang opisyal, dapat lamang po itong maimbestigahan," she added.

(If there's any truth to accusations against any official, these must be investigated.)

The complaint covers the Vice President's actions from when she was still a vice mayor, then mayor of her hometown Davao City, and later as vice president and education secretary.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV and the civil society group The Silent Majority on Wednesday lodged the complaint against Duterte.

Trillanes had said the Vice President's popularity makes the filing of the complaints extremely necessary because such public approval is built on lies.

"The principle of holding the highest officers of the land, including the President and the Vice President, to the highest possible standards is of imperative necessity. It is obvious that Respondent's actions, and those of her family members, if shown to be true, are clearly incompatible with allowing her to continue holding the Office of the Vice President of the Republic," the complaint read.

The document also cited that the Vice President should not get away with her repeated refusal to explain how her office spent taxpayers' money, including confidential funds. — VDV, GMA Integrated News