Palace says Sara Duterte canceled Japan trip; VP warns against schedule exposure

Malacañang on Tuesday evening said that Vice President Sara Duterte canceled her trip to Japan from August 19 to 24.

Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said this more than an hour after Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez said that Duterte’s supposed trip to Japan was personal and at no cost to the government.

Castro said the travel authority was issued on August 17, and the Office of the Vice President requested its cancellation on August 18.

“There is TA (travel authority) for Japan...There is no issue with accuracy on that because there is TA,” the Palace official said.

Duterte had issued a statement refuting reports of her Japan trip, saying that her “plans have since changed, and the updated information on this matter was formally submitted to the Office of the President.”

She also raised a concern about publicizing her schedule.

“I wish to again remind the Office of the President that the continued publication or disclosure of my schedule is a matter of serious concern, particularly as it compromises my personal security and exposes me to heightened risks,” the Vice President said.

Castro, in response, maintained that there is nothing wrong with informing the public about Duterte’s travel authority.

“She should be reminded that she is a public official and cannot just hide her face wherever she goes,” Castro said.

“There is nothing wrong with informing the public about the travel authority, as public funds are being spent on her security and staff. The government spent P7-M for her security and staff for her foreign trips. Filipino people deserve to know where the public funds go,” she added.

Castro said the travel authority was issued on August 17, and the Office of the Vice President (OVP) requested its cancellation on August 18.

The OVP said that it received the official cancellation of the Vice President’s travel authority from the Office of the President at approximately 4:08 p.m. on Tuesday, via electronic mail.

But Castro pointed out that the cancelation was only “through email not personal,” and was thus only forwarded to her team at 6:07 p.m.

The PCO confirmed Duterte’s travel authority at 5:16 p.m.

Castro also said that as the Vice President, it is Duterte’s responsibility to be truthful and transparent about her activities, especially if the OVP uses public funds.

Duterte, in response, emphasized that transparency and accountability should not be demanded from a single government office alone.

“The Office of the President issues travel authorities to numerous government offices, including its own officials and employees,” Duterte said in a separate statement.

“In this light, the public would surely appreciate full information on the travel expenses incurred by these offices and officials, including the public funds used for such trips,” she added.

With this, the Vice President said she expects that all travel authorities issued by the Palace, together with the corresponding travel expenses and public funds involved, be made available to the public. —NB, GMA News