'Hindi ko nakita': VP Duterte declines to comment on 'snubbing' incident with Speaker Romualdez
By Raymund Antonio and Raymund Antonio
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Tuesday, Nov. 21, opted not to comment about the supposed “snubbing” incident involving her and Speaker Martin Romualdez at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and Speaker Martin Romualdez (Photos from OVP, Speaker's office)
In a media interview in Quezon City, Duterte said she knew nothing about a video clip reportedly circulating on social media about the supposed "snubbing" incident.
“Hindi ko nakita. Hindi ko nakita ‘yung nasa social media. Hindi ako maka-comment. Walang akong nakita,” she told reporters.
The Vice President was seen in a video, that was uploaded on X, formerly Twitter, allegedly ignoring Romualdez while waiting for President Marcos’ arrival from the United States last Monday night.
She, however, shook hands with other government officials in the room as Romualdez moved on to greet the others, too.
Netizens commented that Duterte walked past the House Speaker “without acknowledging him, as if she didn’t see him.”
Romualdez was Duterte’s campaign manager, and, according to an old video of hers, was one of the people who convinced her to run for vice president.
But the two had a falling out due to an allegedly failed coup attempt against Romualdez by former president and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that saw the latter losing a key position in the House of Representatives.
Duterte seemingly took Arroyo’s side when she resigned from the Romualdez-led Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party after the former president lost her senior deputy speakership.