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Vice President Sara Duterte stands by her statement regarding gun violence in the Philippines and insists that this is the reality in the country today.
This came after Malacañang's challenge for the Vice President to release data to prove her statements about the alleged widespread violence in the country.
"Reality and not just a clickbait."
This was stressed by Vice President Sara Duterte to support her statements on gun violence in the Philippines.
In a statement released by the Vice President, she stood by her claim that gun violence is truly widespread in the country and said this should not be treated as clickbait or just a headline.
According to the Vice President, reports of shootings, killings, kidnappings, sexual violence, and other violent crimes have become too common in the country.
She stressed that many Filipinos no longer feel safe because of the continuing incidents of violence.
Duterte further emphasized that the safety of citizens should be treated as a national priority, since this is not just about her but about the future of the succeeding generations.
At a rally in The Hague, Netherlands, VP Sara defended the implementation of the war on drugs of former President Rodrigo Duterte, and questioned whether all the deaths listed in the ICC case could be considered victims of the campaign against îllégâl drugs, given that violence is widespread in the Philippines.
According to VP Duterte, some killings may have other causes, such as crimes related to personal disputes, crimes related to relationships, or robbery, and these cannot immediately be linked to the war on drugs.
She further explained that gun violence in the Philippines has become so severe that it has reached the point where there are now gunmen-for-hire available at low cost. "And they cannot even say right now if the victims are truly victims of the drug war because gun violence is so common in the Philippines." VP Sara said.
VP Duterte also stressed that the issue is not just about her but about the safety of the Filipino people.
Meanwhile, Malacañang responded to the Vice President's statements about the violence occurring in the country.
According to Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro, if VP Sara has information about the widespread gun violence, she should help the government suppress such crimes.
Castro also challenged the Vice President to release data regarding the Philippines. "Kung siya naman po pala ay mayroon ng kinalaman patungkol dito hindi po ba dapat siya ay tumulong para ito ay mabawasan or at least maibigay niya ang datos patungkol dito." [If she indeed has information related to this, shouldn't she help so that this can be reduced, or at least provide the data related to it?]
The Palace added that VP Duterte has long served as a government official, as did her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, so if her statements are true, this type of crime should have already been addressed.
Malacañang also criticized her use of the example about hiring an assassin.
The Palace assured that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains committed to fighting all forms of criminality in the country.
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Date posted: July 31, 2026 1:25 PM