MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte strongly rejected allegations linking her to a disputed property on Tuesday, October 13, while criticizing the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for allegedly spreading misleading information regarding her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
Through an official statement released by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Duterte took aim at the bureau, questioning the allocation of taxpayer money toward operations she claimed offered no tangible benefit to citizens.
“Nakakabahala na ang National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), na pinopondohan ng taumbayan, ay ginagamit ang kanilang mga operasyon para sa mga gawaing walang malinaw na pakinabang sa publiko,” Duterte said.
The Vice President specifically refuted ownership of a land parcel featured in a photograph recently tied to her financial disclosures.
“Ang lote sa larawan na sinabi niyang nasa aking Statement of Assets, Liability, and Net Worth o SALN ay hindi sa akin,” she stated.
Furthermore, Duterte connected the bureau’s alleged deception to its recent exclusion from the prosecution’s witness list for upcoming impeachment proceedings, pointing to past controversies such as the Gracioso affidavit as examples of questionable evidence.
“Ang ganitong panlilinlang sa publiko ay ang dahilan kung bakit inalis ang NBI sa listahan ng mga testigong ihaharap ng prosekusyon sa impeachment proceedings—dahil sa mga alegasyon na muli na naman silang naglahad ng mga ebidensiyang kuwestiyonable tulad noong Gracioso affidavit,” she added.
Concluding her statement, Duterte emphasized that state-funded institutions are obligated to operate transparently, truthfully, and strictly in service of the public good.
“Kung pera ng taumbayan ang ginagamit sa pagpapatakbo ng isang ahensiya, nararapat lamang na tiyakin na ang bawat hakbang nito ay naaayon sa batas, nakabatay sa katotohanan, at nagsisilbi sa interes ng sambayanan,” she said.