VP Sara scored for saying Marcos admin didn't prepare for Middle East conflict

Malacañang on Thursday hit back at Vice President Sara Duterte for saying that the Marcos administration lacks preparation for the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said it would be better if the Vice President was asked what month in 2022 was she referring to as this could be time of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Further, she questioned why the Vice President did not mention anything to President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. about the matter, noting that they were running mates in the 2022 national elections. 

''Dapat tinanong ninyo muna ang Bise Presidente. 2022, anong buwan? Baka naman panahon pa noong kaniyang ama ito. Tandaan po natin noong 2022 nangangampanya po sila pareho ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., UniTeam sila. May nabanggit po ba siya sa Pangulo patungkol dito? May nabanggit po ba siya sa DND patungkol po dito?'' Castro said.

(You should ask first the Vice President. 2022? What month? Maybe it's still the time of her father. Let's remember that in 2022, they campaigned under the UniTeam slate. Did she even mention something to the President regarding this? Did she mention something to the DND?)

''Dahil kung alam niya na po ito, malamang ay mayroon siyang sariling bolang kristal, ay dapat ipinaalam niya kung ito ay verified info, nanggaling sa kaniya – dapat ipinaalam niya ito agad sa bansa, ipinaalam niya ito agad sa Pangulo at sa awtoridad,'' she added.

(If he knew something about this, maybe she has a crystal ball, she should inform authorities about this, including the President.) 

Castro pointed out that as Vice President, it is also Duterte's obligation to inform authorities if she indeed had information about the conflict in the region.

''So, kung siya’y may alam as early as 2022 at hindi man lang niya ito binanggit diretso sa ating mga kababayan, sino ang hindi nagtrabaho? Sino ang walang ginawa? Tandaan po natin, ipinagmamalaki niya mayroon siyang impormasyon patungkol dito, hindi po ba obligasyon niya bilang Bise Presidente na ito ay ipaalam sa ating awtoridad para man lang ang ating mga kababayan katulad ng sinasabi niya ay nakapaghanda,'' she said.

(If she knew something and she didn't mention anything to the public, who's the one who didn't work? Let's remember, she's proud that she has information about this, isn't it her obligation to tell to authorities so that the public can prepare?) 

Castro even said Duterte could have committed a breach of public trust for her failure to inform authorities so that the public can prepare for the impact of this conflict.

''Kung hindi niya ‘to sinabi, definitely this is a breach of public trust. Mayroon po tayong tinatawag na nonfeasance, mga taong-gobyernong hindi nagtatrabaho,'' she said. 

(If she didn't mention anything, definitely this is a breach of public trust. There's a term called nonfeasance or those government officials who are not working.) 

Duterte had said warnings about a potential war had already been circulating years earlier.

She added that several observers, including foreign governments, had previously warned about a possible conflict.

The tension in the Middle East has sent prices of fuel products soaring to their highest levels, prompting the government to implement a four-day workweek in public offices.

Marcos has ordered all government agencies to reduce their fuel and electricity consumption by 10 to 20 percent, while police have warned against hoarding as queues were seen forming at some petrol stations.

The government is also continuing the repatriation of Filipinos living in the affected Middle East countries.

Marcos also directed the immediate distribution of P5,000 fuel subsidy for public transport drivers affected by the oil price hike due to the tension in the Middle East.—AOL, GMA Integrated News