Vice President Sara Duterte admitted that Senator Imee Marcos has been “cold” to her after last week’s tirade against the Marcos family, particularly her comments about digging up former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s remains and throwing them to the West Philippine Sea.
(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Imee Marcos (Raymund Antonio/MANILA BULLETIN)
However, the official stressed that she still considers Imee, a sister of President Marcos, a “friend.”
“After nung presscon tinext ko siya. She was cold, malamig. Meron siyang sinabihang common friend namin na naiinis siya sa akin at BBM (After the presscon, I texted her. She was cold. She told a common friend that she’s annoyed at me and BBM [Bongbong Marcos]),” she said during an ambush interview on the sidelines of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (PCCI) 50th Philippine Business Conference and Expo on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Duterte was the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the event.
“Then sinabihan ko ‘yung common friend namin, sabihin mo sa kanya wag siya mainis sa akin, mainis siya kay Liza at kay Martin (Then, I told our common friend that she shouldn’t be annoyed at me, she should be annoyed at Liza and Martin),” she added, probably referring to First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The Vice President didn’t contextualize the last part of her remark, but she and Romualdez, the President’s and Senator’s cousin, had a falling out despite his role as her campaign manager in the 2022 elections.
But asked if it’s now “friendship over” with Imee, Duterte said she cannot speculate what will happen next but she still considers the senator “a friend” and maintained that she did not attack her.
She, however, refused to comment on the statements released by presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos and Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc, Imee’s son, both of whom called out Duterte for her remarks against the Marcos family.
“I will not comment sa mga anak nyo because ang natural affinity ng mga anak is (to) defend parents. Ako lang naman ‘yung anak na hindi nagde-defend kay PRD pero baliktarin natin ganun si PRD sa akin (I will not comment on your children because the natural affinity of children is to defend their parents. I’m the only child who doesn’t defend PRD [former president Rodrigo Duterte] but if PRD defends me nonetheless),” she said.
But asked if she considers the rift in the country’s politics as personal, Duterte challenged for a “review” of all that were done to her.
“Sila ang nauna, kayo ang nauna. Bakit (They did it first, you were first. Why)? Because of envy and jealousy. Yan lang sisira sa bansa natin (That will destroy our country),” she added.
Aside from threatening to dig up Marcos Sr.’s remains from the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani, an honor given to the Marcos family by Duterte’s father, the Vice President also said she had imagined decapitating President Marcos’ head after he allegedly embarrassed a graduate who asked for his watch.