Malacañang on Sunday fired back at Vice President Sara Duterte following her remarks that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) was supposedly created to legitimize the government’s narrative on corruption investigations.
In a statement, Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro rejected Duterte’s claim, describing it as baseless and damaging to the integrity of public institutions.
“Kaawa-awa ang mga taong parte ng gobyerno pero hindi nakakatulong sa gobyerno at sa bayan. Kaawa-awa ang taong naturingang public servant puro haka-haka lang ang sinasabi para makapanira sa gobyerno,” Castro said.
She also questioned Duterte’s credibility, saying the Vice President has offered no proof to support her accusations. “Ano ba ang alam ng bise presidente sa pagpresent ng mga tunay na ebidensya at hindi mga peke at gawa-gawa lang? Ang mga tahi-tahi nyang kwento ay walang halaga. Hindi na dapat intindihan pa,” she added.
Castro further suggested that Duterte’s criticism might stem from fear of what the ongoing investigation could uncover.
“May kinatatakutan ba siyang mabunyag sa ginagawang pag-iimbestiga kaya pilit niyang sinisiraan ng integridad ng ICI?” she said, emphasizing that the commission’s members are experts with unquestionable integrity and no political affiliations.
The Palace reiterated its full trust and confidence in the ICI, calling it an independent body composed of professionals dedicated to transparency and accountability in public infrastructure projects.
