Sara Duterte fires back at Palace exec over ‘fake news’ remark
Vice President Sara Duterte (REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez)
MANILA, Philippines — Adding fuel to what seems to be their never-ending word war, Vice President Sara Duterte told the public to stop listening to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, describing the words coming out of her mouth as “trash.”
VP Duterte made this statement on Monday in response to Castro’s remarks that the Vice President is a source of fake news, particularly regarding the claim that First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was allegedly held by US authorities.
READ: Claire Castro: Sara Duterte could have `leveled up’ discourse on issues
“Lagi ko naman na sinasabi huwag na tayong makinig kay Claire Castro at sa pinsan niya na si [ACT Teachers party-list Rep.] France Castro dahil nga ang kanilang pamilya ay pamilya ng garbage in, garbage out. So, basura ang lumalabas lagi sa bibig nila,” Duterte said in a media interview in Zamboanga.
(I’ve always said we should stop listening to Claire Castro and her cousin, [ACT Teachers party-list Rep.] France Castro, because their family is a garbage in, garbage out kind of family. So, trash is always coming out of their mouths.)
Both Castros have already clarified that they are not related to each other.
Source of fake news?
In a press briefing held earlier in the day, Castro responded to Duterte’s allegations over the weekend, in which she claimed that the Marcos administration resorts to diversionary tactics whenever it is confronted by controversies.
Duterte questioned the timing of the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, at the height of the purported arrest of the First Lady.
READ: Sara Duterte says Marcos admin behind assault complaint vs ‘Pulong’
Responding to this specific matter, Castro said in Monday’s briefing, “So it turns out the fake news came from her. She is actually the source of this fake news being spread against the First Lady.”
Moreover, Duterte also claimed that when the issue of “blank items” in the 2025 General Appropriations Act surfaced, an impeachment case was filed against her.
The second-highest Philippine official further said that when the sale of the promised P20-per-kilo rice was suspended just a day after its launch, the issue involving her brother, Davao City Rep. Rep. Paolo Duterte began circulating online.
“Garbage in, garbage out”
It was not the first time that Duterte had labeled Castro’s words as trash.
On May 2, Duterte clapped back at Castro by likening her remarks to the saying “garbage in, garbage out,” amid an ongoing exchange of criticisms over the current administration.
The Vice President made this statement in response to Castro’s comment that she should “level up” her arguments regarding the probe into Villar-owned PrimeWater.
