“It’s complicated.”
 

This was how President Marcos on Monday, April 15, described his relationship with the Duterte family, whose members, except for Vice President Sara Duterte, have been calling for his resignation.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. answers questions from Manila-based foreign media reporters during the FOCAP presidential forum on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)

Asked during the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines’ (FOCAP) presidential forum at the Manila Hotel about the Dutertes, the Chief Executive said he had only been in contact with his second-in-command.
 

“It is complicated. The one, of course, that I have the most contact with is Inday Sara,” he told the media.
 

Despite the barrage of criticisms he has been receiving from her family, Marcos claimed that his relationship with the Vice President has not changed since the 2022 campaign.
 

“How we were with each other during the campaign, after the election, up to now, it has not really changed,” he shared.
 

The Chief Executive added that Duterte, who has remained mum about her family’s verbal attacks against the President, chose instead to focus on her work.
 

“‘No, I’ll just work. Don’t worry about it. I’ll just work and work and work and work.’ That’s her attitude,” Marcos said.
 

Duterte’s father—former president Rodrigo Duterte—and brothers—Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte—have been critical of Marcos since the President expressed the possibility of rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC) that is due to hand down a judgment on the Duterte patriarch’s bloody war on drugs campaign.
 

The Dutertes have been staging rallies in their hometown of Davao City, too, to protest the economic Charter Change, which they claimed is a step toward a term extension for the President.
 

The Vice President herself had attended one of these rallies, including another one for televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, whose supporters have also been calling for Marcos ouster.
 

Despite this, Marcos maintained that he and the Vice President are on the same page, even coming to her defense when she was criticized for her “no comment” remark regarding the West Philippine Sea issue.