Jefry Tupas, former Davao City chief information officer and aide to Vice President Sara Duterte, has denied allegations made by dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. that he received cash on behalf of the VP. In an affidavit submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Tupas stated that Gracioso's claims are false and that he was not referred to as 'Jepoy' or 'Jepoi' by Duterte, but rather incorrectly identified as 'Tupaz' instead of 'Tupas.' Tupas clarified that he was not in the Philippines during the alleged cash delivery dates, providing alibis for key dates. On April 18-21, 2019, he was in Korea, and on September 19-21, 2019, he was in Japan. He also denied delivering cash during the 2020 pandemic lockdown in Davao, stating that the city was under strict lockdown at that time. Tupas emphasized that he never received any suitcase of money, gift, or vehicle for Sara Duterte, calling the allegations fabricated and untrue. He further stated that if the allegations were not serious, the stories would be laughable, as they aim to tarnish Duterte's reputation. The NBI issued a subpoena for Tupas, but his legal counsel, Caesar Europa, noted that Tupas could not comply due to the short notice and expected the NBI to offer protective custody due to threats of abduction. Tupas also denied knowing Gracioso and having visited Velasco's residence in Valle Verde. The case relates to claims made by Gracioso that he delivered cash to Duterte, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte, following instructions from former Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.