MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday accused the Marcos administration of being behind dismissed police officer Rodulfo “Rody” Gracioso Jr.’s allegations against her, claiming that money was involved in efforts to build the case against her.
Duterte made the accusation during a press briefing in Davao City when asked who she believed was behind the allegations linking her to alleged deliveries of cash.
“[The] Administration. Who is behind the campaign to destroy me? The administration. The Palace, BBM,” Duterte said.
She pointed to statements from the Office of the President and her ongoing impeachment trial of what she described as a coordinated effort against her.
Duterte also accused the administration’s communications machinery of shifting corruption allegations involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. toward her.
“If you look at what the administration’s communications team is doing, every taint of corruption that BBM should answer for, they smear onto me,” she said.
Duterte also pointed to allegations that Marcos received a suitcase, citing testimony from former lawmaker Zaldy Co, and said the issue had yet to be answered. She claimed the administration was trying to deflect the issue by having similar allegations made against her.
“What they did was, ‘So that they can say it was him too, let’s make one up.’ What they don’t know is that Gracioso is lying,” Duterte said.
She also alleged that Gracioso was motivated by money, pointing to what she described as an offer of money to former Office of the Vice President official Jeffrey Tupas, whom Gracioso had also implicated in his account.
“I think Gracioso is motivated by money,” Duterte said, describing his alleged motive as transactional.
Duterte said she wanted the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the allegations and determine whether Gracioso should face charges if portions of his affidavit were proven false.
Gracioso has alleged that he delivered suitcases containing cash to Duterte and other members of the Duterte family.
