Manila: Malaca±ang has rebuffed Vice President Sara Duterte's critique of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s anti-corruption efforts, emphasizing that the administration is committed to addressing corruption with due process rather than extrajudicial measures.

According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro responded to Duterte's comments regarding alleged corruption in flood control projects. Castro criticized Duterte for seemingly being out of touch with the administration's current initiatives. She highlighted that President Marcos is determined to address corruption decisively while upholding due process, contrasting this with the previous administration's approach to its war on drugs, which faced allegations of extrajudicial killings.

Castro stated, "Investigations cannot be completed in a day. The President does not believe in an EJK-style where there is no investigation and only the graveyard awaits. The President wants due process." She further reiterated President Marcos's commitment to thorough investigations and due process in tackling corruption cases.

Additionally, Castro recalled a 2017 admission by then-president Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President's father, regarding his own involvement in corruption. She suggested that if Vice President Duterte had a system to immediately end corruption, she should have shared it with her father.

To substantiate the administration's efforts, Castro pointed to the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), established to investigate irregularities in flood control projects. Castro concluded her remarks with a pointed comment, humorously referring to the Vice President as a "comedienne," acknowledging her ability to make people laugh despite not being a professional comedian.