Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, Jan. 29, said that her brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s call for President Marcos to resign was "coming from a place of brotherly love,” but maintained her commitment to stand strong amid the political mudslinging.
(From right) President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte during the presentation of the Basic Education Report 2024 in Pasay City on Jan. 25, 2024. (Inday Sara Duterte/ Facebook)
In a statement a day after the younger Duterte’s resignation call, the Vice President divulged that she has not spoken to her brother about the remarks he made in Davao City on Sunday, Jan. 28.
“I can only surmise that he is coming from a place of brotherly love, coupled by the common sentiment that I do not deserve the despicable treatment that I am receiving from some sectors within the circle of the President,” she said.
“Sa kabila ng lahat, hindi ako kailanman panghihinaan ng loob (Despite all these, I will never be discouraged). I will stay true to my work at the Department of Education, unless the President says otherwise,” she added.
The official is also the country’s Education chief in a concurrent capacity, a post she has held since she and Marcos won in a landslide during the May 2022 elections.
But the once-friendly relationship between the Dutertes and Marcoses is being put into question after recent perceived attacks against the Vice President, most notable the scrapping of her proposed confidential funds.
There were also reports that the Marcos administration allowed the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs and a warrant of arrest against former president Rodrigo Duterte is expected any moment.
On Sunday, Baste, the youngest of the Duterte children currently in politics, called out Marcos and asked him to resign. He also said he was lazy and lacks compassion.
But the Vice President assured she’s ready to face the “black propaganda” and challenges being thrown at her.
“Gayunpaman, naniniwala ako na ang boto ng taumbayan ay isang pagkakaloob ng tiwala na ako’y magtatrabaho at maninilbihan para lamang sa Pilipino (Despite that, I believe that the people’s vote is a sign of trust that I will work and serve only for Filipinos),” she said.
“Kasama ng tiwalang ito, ang tiwalang kakayanin ko ang anumang atake, black propaganda, paninirang-puri, at iba pang mga hamon na ibabato sa aking pagkatao (With this trust is the trust that I can face the attacks, black propaganda, defamation, and other challenges that will be thrown at me),” the official added.
While Duterte attended the “Bagong Pilipinas” kickoff rally on Sunday, she left just before the arrival of President Marcos and other government officials.
She was seen instead at the prayer rally against the People’s Initiative (PI) to amend the 1987 Constitution in Davao City, where her brother and father once more attacked Marcos, with the former president calling him a “drug addict” and “bangag (high on drugs).”
“Hindi man madali, patuloy akong kumukuha ng lakas at inspirasyon sa tiwalang ibinibigay sa akin ng ating mga kababayan (While it is not easy, I draw strength and inspiration from the trust given to me by our countrymen),” she said in the statement.
“I take heart from the confidence of the people in my ability to work and thrive in a pandemonium,” she furthered.