Benedict Maravilla

“Sino? Alam ko kung sino.”


This is the statement of Vice President Sara Duterte as she alleged Senator Risa Hontiveros, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, and ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro for being under the same political handler who is behind the attacks against her.

In a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in Mandaluyong on September 25, Duterte claimed that she knows the person but refused to reveal their identity as she is waiting for the ‘right time’.

“Alam ko kung sino pero hindi ko siya masabi. At the proper time siguro, pag lumabas na ‘yong story sa kanya, sasabihin ko ‘yong lahat ng alam ko,” she said.

Duterte also reiterated she is just waiting for a person to speak about the ‘handler’ for her to disclose the information she has in hand.

“Hindi pa kasi lumalabas dito sa hearing ‘yong pangalan niya, so pag mayroong magsalita diyan about sa kanya, sasagutin ko, sasabihin ko kung sino,” she affirmed.

The vice president added that she is aware that the impeachment calls against her have been in talks since last year, with Castro being the one who initiated the said matter.

“Last year pa lang, mayroon na siyang grounds for impeachment, kaya sinasabi ko ginagagawan nila ng paraan pumasok lahat ng kailangan nila doon sa pinag-uusapan nilang grounds,” Duterte said.

In an interview on September 26, Trillanes refuted Duterte’s claim of him having close ties with Hontiveros and Castro, saying that the move was just to appeal to the public.

“I dare her to show anything that she has but believe me, within the next week or two, she won't be able to show anything…It’s a misdirection, probably it’s an appeal to pity. And she's just trying to sway the public that there is a conspiracy against her,” Trillanes said.

Castro also said in a separate interview that Duterte’s allegation is false and that the three of them are not connected in any way.

“We have different political parties. Siguro kung nagkakapareho kami ng issues and concerns, [hanggang sa] issue lang. Hindi kami nag-uusap, hindi kami nagkikita,” Castro said.

The talks on Duterte’s impeachment have boomed again after she failed to defend the OVP’s 2025 budget.