MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro accused Senator-judge Imee Marcos of attempting to shield Vice President Sara Duterte during the Senate impeachment trial.
Castro said this following the 17th day of the impeachment trial, where Marcos sought to clarify from former Office of the Vice President (OVP) special disbursing officer Gina Acosta, a hostile witness, whether the vice president personally handled or took any of the confidential funds.
In a palace briefing, Castro recognized that while the senator has the right to ask questions, she accused her of stirring the whole conversation.
“She wants the vice president to get through the accusation regarding the spending of confidential funds,” Castro noted in Filipino.
Castro said that while the senator's questioning demonstrated that Vice President Duterte may not have physically held the physical cash or personally prepared the liquidating documents, it did not absolve her of responsibility or command authority.
“Let us remember that the witness admitted that the one who gave the confidential funds, the entire 125 million, was ordered by the vice president to his security officer, Colonel Lachica, when it comes to OVP,” said Castro.
