THE Office of the Vice President (OVP) was unable to confirm the whereabouts of Vice President Sara Duterte during a recent press conference.
This lack of information comes as the Senate impeachment court prepares to address her impeachment case, following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed the initial proceedings unconstitutional.
When questioned about the Vice President’s location, OVP spokesperson Ruth Castelo initially stated that the information needed verification. Despite promising to provide an update before the conference concluded, Castelo only offered speculation that Duterte might be in her office.
The press briefing ended without confirmation of Duterte’s location. This inability to account for the Vice President’s whereabouts raises concerns, particularly given the impending Senate proceedings.
Duterte’s last known movements include her return to the Philippines on July 28th following a trip to South Korea—notably skipping President Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address—and subsequent disaster relief work in Marinduque from July 29th to 31st. She has also publicly stated plans to travel to Kuwait on August 8th. The OVP’s failure to provide a clear answer regarding Duterte’s current location has sparked questions and fueled speculation.
The situation highlights a potential communication breakdown within the OVP and raises concerns about transparency surrounding the Vice President’s activities, especially given the ongoing impeachment proceedings. The lack of a definitive answer leaves the public and the Senate in the dark about Duterte’s location, adding another layer of complexity to the already contentious impeachment process.
