OVP spox: Sara Duterte’s ‘personal trip’ not considered a ‘vacation’

Office of the Vice President spokesperson Ruth Castelo — File photo

MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Office of the Vice President (OVP) spokesperson Ruth Castelo defended Vice President Sara Duterte’s current visit to her father at The Hague, Netherlands, saying that while it was a “personal trip,” it cannot be considered as a “vacation.”

“I don’t know if her visit to the prison can be called a vacation. I don’t see how the actions of Vice President Duterte can be seen as vacation. Just because she is at the Hague doesn’t mean her office is sleeping. Just because she is there doesn’t mean all the staff will no longer work,” she said in Filipino during a radio interview on Thursday.

Castelo stressed that even though Duterte was away, “there are competent and able people in the Office of the Vice President” who can do their jobs without her.

“And the chief of staff, of course, is there supervising everything. When there are important decisions to be made, it has to be cleared with the Vice President, of course,” she said.

READ: What Palace exec thinks of Sara Duterte’s recent trips abroad

Last month, Malacañang had said that Duterte might be violating some of her duties as the Vice President by making frequent trips abroad, with press officer Claire Castro saying, “The only thing she might be violating is her obligation to the people.”

At that time, the OVP had just announced that Duterte would be travelling to Australia for a “personal trip.” Prior to that, she met with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Malaysia to celebrate the Philippine Independence Day.

In May, she celebrated her 47th birthday at the Hague after visiting OFWs in Doha, Qatar, to attend several “thanksgiving” activities.

Castelo, however, stressed that “all of the trips undertaken by the Vice President, whether official or personal, have a travel authority from the Office of the President.”

Currently, Duterte is at The Hague to visit her father. In an interview on Wednesday, she said will also be traveling to South Korea on July 27 to speak at a “Filipino community program.”

“Yes, we confirmed on the schedule because I wanted to thank the Filipino community as well in South Korea, personally thank them,” Duterte said.

“I’ve always expressed my gratitude to the Filipino communities worldwide. But when we receive invitations, we really try to accommodate it so that we can personally thank everyone,” she added. /das