Vice President Sara Duterte revealed that her mother Elizabeth suggested she return to Davao and let her brother Sebastian run in the 2028 presidential election.

"My mother really said she was telling me to come home to Davao and just let Baste run in the national elections," she said in a press briefing in Davao City on Tuesday.

"My mother stated it; she said, 'Come back here to Davao.' Then she said, 'let Baste take care of the national level'," she added.

However, Duterte said that she hasn't discussed the 2028 presidential election with her brother.

The vice president, whose survey ratings for the 2028 presidential race remain high, is facing an impeachment trial at the Senate.

During the same briefing, she also read her affidavit answering the allegations of former Police Patrolman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. who claimed that millions of cash in suitcases were delivered to her.

"I strongly deny the statements made by Rodulfo Mondigo Gracioso Jr. in his sworn affidavit and media interviews linking me to events that I did not commit, did not know about, or did not personally experience," she said.

Duterte read her affidavit answering his allegations, which she said her camp will submit to authorities on Thursday, October 8.

In her affidavit which her camp will submit to authorities on October 8, Duterte noted that the Presidential Security Guard served as her security personnel from July 2016 to June 2022.

"Never was I fetched by Gracioso at a private hangar in Pasay, (neither did I) ride a Ford Savanna White which is an artista van and was brought to Diamond Hotel," she added.

“Alinsunod sa kanilang security protocols, ang aking mga byahe sa eroplano noong 2016 hanggang 2022 ay inaayos ng PSG sa Kalayaan Lounge o sa airport terminal,” she added.

"In accordance with their security protocols, my flights from 2016 to 2022 were arranged by PSG at Kalayaan Lounge or the airport terminal," she added.

Gracioso claimed that he also delivered cash to Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte on the instruction of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

Velasco's camp previously denied the allegations saying that it had "no basis". Robina Asido/PHS