Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin denied that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. snubbed Vice President Sara Duterte at his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) amid circulating videos on social media. (From left) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte (Malacañang/ OVP)
Speaking on CNN’s “The Source,” the official said he would be surprised if the Chief Executive deliberately snubbed Duterte as the former is very fond of the latter. “I did not notice that actually. But you know, I will be surprised if that happened because they are very close on a personal level,” he said on Tuesday, July 25. “I don’t think there was a snub,” Bersamin said, noting that Marcos has been “very fond” of the Vice President. The official shared what he thought happened at the start of the SONA, where videos captured the Chief Executive skipping a handshake with Duterte after greeting other officials. “Ako mismo ito lang maikukwento ko (This is what I can say). When the Vice President sat down yesterday and I was very close . . . hindi ko rin napansin siya pala ‘yun. Hindi ko namukaan (I didn’t notice that was her. I didn’t notice),” he said. Duterte was wearing a traditional Maguindanaon dress—a Bangala paired with a trouser and a flowing inaul or malong—to pay homage to the Moro tribe. She was also seen wearing a headdress. “Sabi ko (I said), ‘Who’s this highly-placed Muslim lady?’ Tinanong ko si GMA (I asked GMA),” Bersamin said, referring to former president and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “Sabi niya (She said), ‘That’s the Vice President, so maaaring ganyan ang napansin ninyo. Pero walang snub (that’s what you saw. But there’s no snub),” he added. After the SONA, Marcos and Duterte were seen taking photos together with other officials.