MANILA — Palace Press Officer Claire Castro sent an early Valentine’s Day message to Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday, urging the vice president to “spread love, not fake news, not immorality. Don’t be a Chucky.”
Castro made the remarks during a press briefing in response to Duterte’s Valentine’s Day message in Davao City, in which the vice president jokingly wished that Castro and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would end up together.
Castro criticized Duterte’s tone as mean-spirited and immoral. “We saw that—how she laughed, which, from my perspective, came across as having a hint of malice. So is this the kind of leader, like Vice President Sara Duterte, whom we should admire and place on a pedestal? Every word that comes from her is nothing but attacks, insinuations, and immorality,” Castro said.
She also emphasized that she and Marcos are committed to their respective families. “For someone like the Vice President to speak in this manner, it is extremely degrading—especially coming from a woman,” Castro added.
Castro further suggested that Duterte’s team could help her improve her communications. “VP Sara, spread love, not fake news, not immorality. Don’t be a Chucky,” she reiterated.
The “Chucky” remark referred to a livestream on Castro’s personal YouTube channel last Christmas, where she compared Duterte’s sudden facial expression upon hearing Marcos’ name to the infamous horror character.