Sara Duterte says she does not know Gracioso, has not received money from him

Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday said she does not know Rodulfo Gracioso Jr, the former policeman who served as a security officer for former Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, and neither did she receive money from him.

"Mga kababayan, I do not know Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., nor have I ever received any money from him," Duterte said in a statement.

"My lawyers are awaiting an official copy of the Gracioso affidavit from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) so they can begin working on the cases to be filed against him," she added.

"Once we are done dismantling the lies contained in his testimony, it will end up in the trash bin—just like the one from Ramil Madriaga," Duterte said.

The vice president said Gracioso's allegation is "another media stunt," adding that the Marcos administration is bent on bringing her down.

"This is nothing more than another media stunt, an attempt to breathe life into a faltering impeachment case. The desperation of the administration to bring me down, push for Charter Change, prevent the 2028 elections, and cling to power is becoming increasingly diabolical," she said.

"The people want Marcos to take a public drug test. The people want Marcos to answer for the flood control scandal. The people want change," Duterte said.

"No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or manufactured distractions can ultimately silence the Filipino people. Shukran," she added.

GMA News Online asked Malacañang through Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro for comment but the Palace has yet to issue a statement.

The NBI is investigating the claims of Gracioso, who said that he delivered suitcases containing cash to Vice President Sara Duterte, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte on Velasco’s instructions.

Gracioso estimated that he had delivered a total of more than P2 billion to Sara Duterte.

He also said he also brought money to then-President Rodrigo Duterte at Malacañang between 2018 and 2022, and delivered a suitcase containing P100 million to Pulong Duterte.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida confirmed in a message to GMA News that the Department of Justice had received Gracioso’s affidavit and was evaluating it.

GMA News has sought comments through phone calls and messages from Pulong Duterte, Rodrigo Duterte, and Velasco since Thursday, but they have yet to give any. —with a report from Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News