Palace denies VP Sara trip approved at last minute

Malacañang on Thursday denied that the travel request of Vice President Sara Duterte was approved at the last minute.

The Vice President earlier said that her travel plans have "changed" and that she will be sending a new request to the Office of the President (OP), citing the last-minute issuance of the travel authority.

''Ang Bise Presidente ayon naman po sa records ay nakakatanggap po ng dokumento para sa travel authority niya a day before her intended vacation. So, hindi naman po siya tinanggihan. Wala pa sa record na kapag siya ay nag-request ng pagbabakasyon or personal trip ng mahabang araw o mahaba na panahon na siya ay tinanggihan,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing.

(Is that what she wants to show? Based on records, she usually receives the travel authority a day before her intended vacation. So, she's not being denied the right to travel. There's no record that she was denied of her trip or vacation.) 

''So, para sabihin na last minute resolution or decision ito, hindi po ganoon. Dahil iyon po palagi, normally nangyayari po ang pagbibigay sa kanya ng travel authority a day before. 

(So it's wrong for her to say that it was a last minute resolution or decision. Normally, the travel authority was given to her a day before.) 

Process

Usually, it takes five working days to process the request beginning on the date that it was applied, according to Castro.

''Normally po, mga five working days inaayos at ‘pag ang Bise Presidente naman ang humihiling, hindi naman iyan tinatanggihan, so hindi po dapat siya isyu,'' Castro said.

(Normally, five days and usually the Vice President is not being denied of her trip. So there must be no issue on this.) 

Castro stressed that the issue lies on what changed the Vice President's mind when it comes to her travel dates. 

''So, ang isyu na lang dito sabi nga natin ‘we expedite the travel request’, we usually expedite the processing of the travel request, what matters most now ‘no, bakit nagbago ang isipan,'' Castro said.

Asked if President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will question the trips of Duterte, Castro said, ''Sabi nga natin, ibigay ang hilig, nang walang ligalig.''

(Let's give her what she wants.) —VAL, GMA News