Palace Hits Back at VP Sara Duterte Over Senate Turmoil Claims

In a recent ANC 24/7 report, Malacañang Palace directly challenged Vice President Sara Duterte's criticism of the Marcos administration, insisting that the Senate chaos stems from her own allies rather than leadership failures in the Palace. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro fired back at the Vice President during a press briefing on Thursday, telling her to look to her own camp for the source of the legislative paralysis gripping the Senate.

Palace Hits Back at VP Sara Duterte Over Senate Turmoil Claims

Manila, Philippines — Palace Press Officer Claire Castro urged Vice President Sara Duterte to encourage or force Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa to appear in Senate sessions this week. Dela Rosa remains in hiding because of an active International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant tied to alleged crimes against humanity during the drug war in Davao City.

Palace Dares VP Sara on Bato Dela Rosa

"Kung yun po ang nais niya na makabalik sa Senado si Sen. Bato, welcome po 'yun. Mas maganda kung kanyang i-encourage, pipilitin, kamukha nung ginawa ni Sen. Cayetano," Castro said in a press briefing on Thursday, June 11. The challenge came after VP Sara Duterte called for all 24 senators to sit down and discuss their priorities as one institution rather than two warring blocs.

Castro rebuffed that suggestion as unrealistic, pointing out that Dela Rosa is a fugitive with an ICC warrant while Senator Jinggoy Estrada is detained at the Senate over his P573-million plunder case tied to the flood control scandal. "A detained senator cannot immediately appear or attend or vote since their case is under the Court's jurisdiction and not with the Senate," Castro explained.

Senate Leadership Crisis Deepens

The Senate chamber in Manila has been in turmoil since a 13-member majority bloc installed Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has recognized Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as the legitimate leader, creating a protracted leadership dispute that has stalled legislative work. Senator Francis Escudero recently broke an 11-11 deadlock by joining plenary sessions and backing a motion voiding all leadership posts, but the underlying divisions remain unresolved.

At stake is the timeline for Vice President Duterte's impeachment trial, which requires 16 votes from the 24-member Senate to convict. Her allies in the chamber have been widely seen as working to delay or derail the proceedings, and the leadership crisis has provided ample grounds for postponements.

Malacañang Links Senate Chaos to Impeachment Strategy

Castro directly connected the Senate disarray to efforts by Duterte's allies to shield her from the impeachment case, which was transmitted by the House of Representatives after two separate impeachment votes. "Lahat ng ito, lahat sila, sila 'yung nagsasabing dapat na ibasura ang impeachment. Ito ay lahat para sa proteksyon ng bise presidente," Castro said. (All of this, and all of them, they are the ones who claim that the impeachment case must be dismissed. All of this to protect the vice president.)

Palace officials also pointed to the May 13 gun-related incident at the Senate and allegations that Senator Robin Padilla assisted Dela Rosa in evading arrest as further evidence of deliberate destabilization. Castro dismissed VP Sara's claim that the chaos reflects President Marcos Jr.'s weak leadership, arguing instead that it stems from "patuloy na pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan para lamang sa kanilang mga kaalyado" (continued abuse of power just for their allies).

Impact on Ordinary Filipinos

While politicians in Manila trade accusations, ordinary Filipinos bear the cost of the Senate gridlock. Jeepney drivers in Quezon City and sari-sari store owners in Cebu report delays in local infrastructure projects that need Senate budget approval. Families in Davao and Baguio who rely on barangay health centers find funding allocations stuck in committee, and OFW families waiting for new remittance policies face longer delays as bills languish in the paralyzed legislative chamber.

The impasse also threatens the timely passage of the national budget, which funds everything from public school operations to disaster response — a particularly urgent concern after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao earlier this week, leaving at least 46 dead and 38 missing.

VP Sara and the Palace: A Widening Rift

Vice President Duterte has publicly stated that "the chaos and lack of direction in our country reflects the kind of leadership of the one sitting in the Palace." But Malacañang has consistently pushed back, with Castro pointing out that the Vice President's own allies are driving the instability. VP Sara has denied wanting to replace President Marcos, telling reporters in recent days, "Hindi ko gustong agawin" (I don't want to seize it), referring to the presidency. She also rejected calls to lead a move to overthrow the administration.

The Duterte-Marcos alliance that swept the 2022 elections has visibly fractured, with the two camps now openly at odds over the impeachment trial, Senate leadership, and the handling of former President Rodrigo Duterte's ICC case in The Hague.

What to Watch For

The Senate leadership question is expected to be tested in the coming weeks as competing factions push for recognition. With Senator Gatchalian acknowledged by the Palace and Senator Cayetano backed by a majority bloc, the legal status of Senate proceedings remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte looms as the single most consequential political event of the year — a trial that cannot proceed smoothly while the chamber's leadership is disputed.

For ordinary Filipinos, the message from both Malacañang and the opposition is clear: until the Senate resolves its internal crisis, the legislative business that affects daily life — from budget approvals to policy reforms — will remain hostage to political maneuvering. The coming days will determine whether the institution can find its way back to function or sink deeper into paralysis.

By Bella Reyes, Staff Writer