Vice President Sara Duterte said the Marcos administration is desperate to bring her down as she rejected allegations of a former security aide of ex-Speaker Lord Allan Velasco claiming that he delivered cash-filled suitcases to her.
Duterte said she does not know Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., the former aide, and never received any money from him.
She linked this development to an effort to shore up the impeachment case against her.
“This is nothing more than another media stunt, an attempt to breathe life into a faltering impeachment case,” she said.
She also said the Marcos administration is scrambling to sideline her to keep its hold on power.
“The desperation of the administration to bring me down, push for Charter Change, prevent the 2028 elections, and cling to power is becoming increasingly diabolical,” she said.
But she said all these efforts would not take the heat off President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The people want Marcos to take a public drug test. The people want Marcos to answer for the flood control scandal. The people want change. No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or manufactured distractions can ultimately silence the Filipino people,” she said.
Duterte said she and her legal team are ready to take down Gracioso’s lies once they receive a copy of his affidavit.
Gracioso alleged that he delivered suitcases of cash to Duterte, her father former President Rodrigo Duterte, and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte upon the directive of Velasco, who served as Speaker during the Duterte administration.