Malacañang has strongly dismissed claims by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte that the administration is using the justice system to target political opponents, asserting that the government is merely enforcing the law impartially.
The Palace’s response comes after Mayor Duterte alleged that the impeachment trial of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, is a calculated plot to bar her from running in the 2028 presidential elections.
The local chief executive also cited the recent detentions of Senator Rodante Marcoleta and former Representative Mike Defensor as proof of a coordinated crackdown on dissenters.
During a press briefing on Friday, July 10, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro urged the Duterte family and their allies to address their legal issues in court instead of dismissing them as political theater.
“Gusto ba nila na hindi kikilos ang gobyerno, hindi susundin ang sinasabi ng batas at hayaan na makaalpas at makaligtas ang mga naaakusahang gumagawa ng krimen laban sa bayan?” Castro asked.
Castro pushed back against the Mayor’s narrative, emphasizing that holding individuals accountable under the law is not the same as political persecution.
“Bakit hindi sagutin nang diretso ang pag-aakusa at hindi puro bintang na pinupulitika sila?” she added.
The younger Duterte raised these grievances during a gathering with Filipino content creators in The Hague, Netherlands, where his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is currently detained over an International Criminal Court (ICC) case.
Despite the accusations, the Palace maintained that the administration is strictly focused on upholding the rule of law without any political agenda.