Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands on March 14, 2025. Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — Malacanang on Wednesday criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s continued stay in the Netherlands after she remarked that the Philippines was supposedly on the way “to the dumpster.”

Duterte recently criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s leadership, saying: “Lugmok na tayo sa kahirapan because at this point, [when] we should be working on our way up, it seems that we are working to go to the dumpster. As I said, we are on this road to perdition.”

“Somehow walang nakikitang hope ang mga tao dahil wala din silang nakikita mula sa gobyerno,” she said in an interview in The Hague.

But Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said, “Nawawala ang pag-asa ng mga Pilipino? Hindi ba siya yung nawawala sa Pilipinas ngayon?”  

The Palace official noted the Vice President’s continued absence from her office as she attended to the needs of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces crimes against humanity charges for his drug war before the International Criminal Court.

“Hindi ba mas magiging mapupunta tayo sa dumpster kung ang magiging pangulo natin, o ang magiging leader natin, ay ang katulad nila VP Sara? Mas inuuna pang magpunta sa abroad, magsilbi sa isang tao, although tatay nya po yun, pero marami pa rin pong Pilipino na umaasa sa kanya bilang bise presidente,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.

“Obligasyon po niya maging bise presidente. Alam niya po dapat ang obligasyon bilang bise presidente. Sabi nga natin ang Pangulo natin, na sinasabi niya na mukhang wala na tayong pag-asa, nasa Pilipinas, nagtatrabaho. Araw-araw, may inaanunsyo tayong good news. Pero ang bise presidente, nasaan?”

Prosecutors send first set of evidence to Duterte defense

The Palace official slammed the Vice President’s alleged lack of knowledge about the government’s ongoing programs and projects.

“Siguro sinasabi niya yan, na road to perdition na tayo, bakit? Dahil hindi niya naman nakikita kung ano ang mga ginagawa, mga proyekto, programa na isagawa na at naitulong na ng pamalaan sa taong bayan dahil malamang ay hindi siya nanonood ng ating press briefing everyday,” she said.

“Talagang mabubulagan siya kapag hindi po niya inaalam kung ano ang naging trabaho at magiging trabaho ng administrasyon sa pangunguna ni Pangulong Marcos.”

Ex-president Duterte confident he has 'no case' to answer at ICC, says VP Sara

The Duterte patriarch is awaiting a confirmation of charges hearing on September 23, where he will have the opportunity to contest the accusations against him.

His daughter said her father was now in better health after appearing fatigued at his first hearing at the ICC.  

"He's very confident about the legal arguments. He's very confident... that what they did was wrong and there is no case to begin with," the Vice President told reporters.

Harry Roque claims 'racial bias' in Duterte's ICC case
Duterte camp insists to SC: Former President 'abducted'

— With a report from Agence France-Presse