VP Sara changes travel plans after OP’s ‘last-minute’ nod

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte will not proceed with her trips to five countries, claiming that Malacañang had issued a “last-minute” travel authority.

The Palace, however, denied Duterte’s accusation, saying she received the document a day before her intended “vacation.”

Instead of answering allegations of misuse of funds and betrayal of public trust, Duterte has been skipping House impeachment hearings.

Amid the Middle East crisis and “suspicious” billions of pesos linked to Duterte and her husband, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro asked: “Is it prudent to take a vacation?”

“What matters most now is why the Vice President changed her mind. What made her change her mind is the P6.7-billion question,” Castro said yesterday, referring to bank transactions flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Malacañang earlier said it allowed Duterte’s trips to the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom from April 23 to May 15.

After canceling her trips, the Vice President told the Palace, “You will be receiving a new request soon. Please ensure that the necessary documents be processed and issued promptly, allowing sufficient time for travel preparations rather than only a few hours before the intended departure.”

“If she wants to take a vacation or hold a world tour, her request would be granted, considering that she does not have an immigration lookout bulletin order and a precautionary hold departure order,” Castro said.

Impeachment complaints against the Vice President also cover her supposed conspiracy to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos and former speaker Martin Romualdez.