Palace Press Officer Agrees with VP Sara Duterte: 'Better If You Didn’t Run for VP'
Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro publicly agreed with Vice President Sara Duterte's recent reflection that it might have been better if she hadn't run for the second-highest elective post. Castro suggested that another VP who could assist President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would have been preferable, highlighting a potential rift within the administration.
The controversy began when Vice President Sara Duterte made an emotional speech in Davao City on Wednesday, February 26, 2026, where she reflected that it might have been better if she had stayed as Davao City mayor instead of running for vice president in the 2022 elections. During a Palace press briefing on Friday, February 28, 2026, Palace Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro publicly agreed with Duterte's reflection, stating that the country would have benefited more from a vice president who could properly collaborate with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Castro clarified that President Marcos has no regrets about choosing Duterte as his running mate in 2022 but emphasized the need for better cooperation from the elected vice president.
This exchange is part of an ongoing public rift between the Palace and the Vice President, which intensified after Duterte announced her presidential bid for 2028 on February 18, 2026. Castro dismissed Duterte's claims of canceled speaking invitations following her announcement, calling her a 'drama queen' and referencing a 2016 article where Duterte's father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, used the same term to describe her. Castro questioned Duterte's credibility, asking when her statements should be trusted given her father's past remarks labeling her untruthful.
In related exchanges, Castro has repeatedly sided with Duterte on select points, including acknowledging that not all Marcos-appointed officials are competent. She cited Duterte's own failed tenure as Department of Education Secretary (2022-2024), which was marked by issues like phantom students, fake vouchers, ghost laptops, and misused funds that are now being addressed by her successor. This comment came in response to Duterte's criticism of chaotic governance under Marcos in a recent SMNI interview.
The situation highlights the deepening political divide within the administration as the 2028 presidential election approaches. Duterte's emotional reflection about her vice presidential role and Castro's public agreement with that sentiment reveal significant tensions between the Marcos and Duterte political camps. The exchange has drawn attention to questions about Duterte's effectiveness as vice president and her relationship with the current administration, with Castro's comments suggesting the Palace would prefer a more cooperative vice president who could better assist President Marcos in governance.
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