Sara Duterte urged to apologize after denying beach trip

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has rebuked Vice President Sara Duterte anew after lawmakers obtained a police report that confirmed she was on a beach early Monday morning — the day that the Office of the Vice President was supposed to defend its proposed 2025 budget at the plenary.

The OVP earlier denied that Duterte was at a beach while the House was waiting to conduct its plenary deliberations of her office's proposed 2025 budget on Monday, September 23. In its statement, the OVP also took a swipe at media outlets for publishing "fake news and media releases for clickbaits and profit."

But a spot report by the Camarines Norte police that details the security provided to the vice president earlier this week said Duterte and her companions had stayed at Calaguas Island from September 21 until the early morning of September 23. 

The report said Duterte and her companions checked in at a certain "I love Calaguas Resort" on September 21. Two days later, on the day the OVP was set to face the House plenary, the vice president and her group left the "vicinity of Calaguas Islands going to Vinzons, Camarines Norte" at 6:38 a.m., according to the report. 

LOOK: A spot report by the Camarines Norte police confirms that Vice President Sara Duterte checked in at "I Love Calaguas Resort" on September 21 and left Calaguas Island at September 23, 6:28 a.m. — the same day that the OVP was expected to defend its budget at the House… pic.twitter.com/OJCfm5dyLO

"The vice president owes the Filipino people an explanation and an apology. This is not the kind of leadership we deserve – where the truth is hidden and lies are told to cover it up,” said Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Paolo Ortega (La Union, 1st District). 

House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Jay Khonghun (Zambales, 1st District) said Duterte should have come clean about her whereabouts during the House budget deliberations. "This is about integrity. If she cannot be honest about something as simple as her whereabouts, how can we trust her on more important matters?" he said.

Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers) said while public officials are entitled to their personal time, "it is unacceptable to do