VP Sara Duterte on Marcos administration: 'Hindi marunong maging presidente ang nakaupo'
Vice President Sara Duterte spewed tirades directed at President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., saying the incumbent president is not capable of the job.
During a press conference on Friday, Oct. 18, Duterte detailed more about the issues surrounding her and Marcos, saying the latter is not capable of ruling the country.
"Hindi ko kasalanan that we’re on this road to hell... Hindi marunong maging presidente ang nakaupo. Kasalanan ko ba ‘yun? Hindi," the vice president said.
When asked to explain further, Duterte said that Marcos does not have platforms for addressing the country’s current problems, including inflation.
“I don't ever remember may na platform siya na sinabi kung anong gagawin niya sa bansang ito. ‘Di niya sinabi kung ano ang gagawin natin sa food security, wala siyang sinabi ano ang gagawin natin sa inflation na dadating,” Duterte said, adding, “I don't ever remember him discussing kung anong gagawin sa problema ngayon.”
"Kasi kung alam mo naman na may kakulangan ka, bibilisan mo yung gagawin mo para mag-catch up. Hindi ka naman uupo lang doon," she added.
The vice president cited it as the reason for her resignation as the secretary of the Department of Education in June, which took effect in July.
“Kaya ako umalis sa administration, 'di ba? Hindi ko na gusto yung mga naririnig ko dun, yung mga nakikita ko don," she said, giving the current administration a very low rating of 1 out of 10.
The vice president also criticized Marcos for feeling "dismayed" when she denied their friendship in an earlier statement. Previously, Marcos said he was "a little dismayed to hear that she does not think we are friends" and that he feels he was "deceived" by her.
“Talagang may panahon kang mag-isip sa deception ng isang babae d’yan? Ang dami mong oras," Duterte speaks of Marcos during the press con. “Presidente ka na. Importante pa ba 'yung nararamdaman mo? Diba kapag Presidente ka, hindi na importante 'yung pagod mo, 'yung luha mo?”
In the same press conference, Duterte shared that she once warned Sen. Imee that she would personally dig up former president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s body and throw it into the West Philippine Sea after she was asked to comment on the burying of the late Pres. Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
"Isang beses sinabihan ko talaga si Sen. Imee. Sabi ko sa kanya, 'Kung hindi kayo tumigil, huhukayin ko iyang tatay ninyo. Itatapon ko siya sa West Philippine Sea,'" Duterte said.
‘It's all about winning'
In the two-hour press conference, which the vice president dubbed “Drag Me To Hell Presscon,” Duterte detailed that she initially wanted to continue her term as the mayor of Davao City and running for the vice presidency post was not part of her plan.
However, it was the president's sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, who convinced her to run so that they would have strong support from the Visayas. They feared they might get defeated by then-Vice President Leni Robredo.
"'Kasi matatalo kami ni Leni kung hindi mo dalhin ang Bisaya,'" Duterte quoted Sen. Marcos telling her during their conversation in late 2021. She added that while the camp considered Manny Pacquiao, Senators Ronald dela Rosa, and Bong Go for the post, they deemed they were not enough to further boost Marcos' votes.
“It’s all about winning,” she said, adding she felt used by Marcos. “Clear naman ‘yun. Of course, ginamit lang nila ako para manalo sila.”
Still, Duterte does not regret running as vice president. "Hindi ko pinagsisisihan ang pagtakbo ko as vice president. Hindi ko rin pinagsisisihan na nakipag-tandem ako sa kanya (Marcos). I'm sure may rason ang Diyos kung bakit ako nilagay sa upuan na ito sa ilalim ng (OVP) seal," she said.
After the press conference, the palace declined to comment on Duterte’s comments about Marcos.
“No statement from OP (Office of the President),” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cesar Chavez told reporters in a text message on Friday.
Cracks in the UniTeam
UniTeam first had weak spots when Marcos appointed Duterte as the Education secretary instead of the National Defense post.
The row continued to manifest as House Speaker Martin Romualdez spearheaded efforts to strip the VP office and DepEd of its confidential funds. The House of Representatives, mostly made up of Marcos supporters, also pushed to suspend the pro-Duterte network SMNI after a host accused Marcos' cousin of spending P1.8 billion on 2023 travels.
The rift in the UniTeam alliance worsened in January 2024 during the“prayer” rally against charter change in Davao City. There, incumbent Davao City mayor Baste and their father, former president Rodrigo called for Marcos' resignation, claiming he is lazy, lacks compassion, and a drug addict, which the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency denied. The two families have since exchanged tirades, even involving First Lady Liza Marcos.
According to Duterte, the last time she and Marcos spoke was when she tendered her resignation as Secretary of the Department of Education and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in June earlier this year.
(With reports from Neil Jayson Servallos and Helen M. Flores)