By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued a rebuttal at the latest spate of Vice President Sara Duterte’s remarks against the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) and the ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects.
At the Malacañang press briefing on Wednesday, Castro criticized Duterte’s remarks as ‘out of touch with reality,’ and does not contribute to the progress of the probe into lapses in government public works.
The Palace mouthpiece lambasted the Vice President, “Siguro po kakailanganin niya na po ng mataas na grado ng salamin o kaya hearing aid, para marinig niya kung anuman ang lahat ng ginagawa at mga inuutos ng Pangulo sa mga law enforcement agencies, [at] sa mga investigating bodies, kasama na po ang pagbuo ng ICI.”
She added, referencing the previous administration, “Uulit-ulitin po natin, dahil paulit ulit naman po lamang ang sinasabi na isyu ng Bise Presidente. Ang pag-iimbestiga po ay hindi po kailangang isang araw lang. Hindi po naniniwala ang Pangulo sa isang EJK style, walang imbestigahan, libingan ang hantungan. Ang gusto ng Pangulo, due process.”
Castro moreover bolstered his counter-statement against Duterte by showing a visual aid to reporters noting former President Rodrigo Duterte’s involvement in corruption, even going as far as to question the Vice President’s moral ascendancy in topics concerning such malpractice in the government institutions.
Meanwhile, she reiterated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s progressive actions that enable him to stay on top of matters that greatly resonate with the masses, most notably the anomalies in flood mitigation infrastructures.
Castro told the media, “May nakita po pala tayong ibang talent ng Bise Presidente, magaling po pala siyang magpatawa kahit di siya komedyante. But anyway, ang Pangulo umaaksyon, gumagawa, nagtatrabaho. Nakikita po ng taumbayan kung paano po ba ang pagtugon ng Pangulo sa mga hinaing ng kababayan natin especially tungkol sa mga maanomalyang flood control projects.”
She concluded in her remarks against the country’s second highest government official, “Pero, nakikita ba ito dahil ang sabi ay ‘kawalan’? Kung ikukumpara ba sa nakaraang administrasyon na nagsabing kurap mismo ang Pangulo at maraming ghost projects, ano ang itatawag natin sa panahon na iyon? Living hell?”
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