Vice President Sara Duterte denies allegations by dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. that he delivered cash to her, saying the claims are driven by resentment and money rather than any wrongdoing on her part. Duterte rejects in particular Gracioso’s account involving cash allegedly delivered multiple times from 2018 to 2020, including allegations about suitcases.
In separate reports, Duterte also frames Gracioso as someone “paid” or motivated to harm her reputation, attributing his motive to anger toward former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his family. She says she is being dragged into a dispute that Gracioso supposedly has with Velasco, and she emphasizes that he does not appear to have a personal grudge against her.
Across the outlets, the dispute centers on Duterte’s response to Gracioso’s Sept. 14 affidavit and her public rebuttals at a press conference in Davao City. The reporting highlights both Duterte’s denial of the cash allegations and her counter-narrative about Gracioso’s alleged motives.
