Sara urged to return home, fulfill duties, and address confidential fund controversy.

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has called on Vice President Sara Duterte to return home, fulfill her responsibilities, and address the growing controversy over the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro urged Duterte to verify and justify the validity of newly surfaced questionable receipts linked to the OVP’s confidential expenses. Speaking at a press conference, Castro emphasized the need for transparency, stating that the public deserves to know how the funds were utilized.

Her statement follows reports revealing suspicious names, such as "Jay Kamote" and "Miggy Mango," listed as recipients of the vice president's funds, raising further concerns about the legitimacy of the transactions.

Duterte, who is currently in The Netherlands, was reminded by Castro that her duty is to the Filipino people. While acknowledging her personal commitments, Castro stressed that Duterte must prioritize the millions of Filipinos who elected her.

The controversy intensified after La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V disclosed that certain alleged recipients of the confidential funds had no official records with the Philippine Statistics Authority, casting doubt on their existence.

Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives last December over her alleged mishandling of confidential funds. Previous scrutiny of OVP disbursement records uncovered unusual names such as "Mary Grace Piattos," "Pia Piatos-Lim," and "Xiaome Ocho."

Duterte has denied any misuse of funds and has challenged her impeachment before the Supreme Court.