Vice President Sara Duterte reminded her political rivals not to turn her into the country’s problems when poverty, criminality, terrorism, and hunger remain the challenges that face Filipinos.
Vice President Sara Duterte answers questions from the media during an interview at Marriott Hotel in Pasay City on Oct. 22, 2024. (Raymund Antonio/MANILA BULLETIN)
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a business conference on Tuesday, Oct. 22, the official said she’s wondered why she’s been turned into a villain despite the bigger problems happening all over the country.
“Ang unahin ko muna ay ‘yung mga nasa gobyerno na tulad ko, magtrabaho tayo, magtrabaho tayo kung ano ‘yung mandate natin, sa opisina natin, gawin natin ‘yun. Iyon ang expectation ng mga tao (Government people like me should work, let us work on our mandate, in our offices, let us do that. That’s what the people expect),” she stressed.
“Sabi ko, ulitin ko, hindi ako ang problema pero ako ‘yung ginagawa ninyong problema. Ang totoong problema (I will say it again, I am not the problem but you are turning me into one).”
Asked about the rift she has with President Marcos with four more years remaining until the end of his term, Duterte agreed that politicking is bad for the country.
“Alam mo I agree with that. Totoo talaga ‘yan. Hindi maganda ang nangyayari ngayon kasi ang nangyayari ngayon puro kasi tayo na lang pulitika (You know I agree with that. That’s really true. What’s happening now is bad because we’re just focused on politics),” she said.
“Paulit-ulit kong sinabi, nandun pa ako sa Cabinet. Noon sinabi ko na ‘yon. Hindi ako ang problema. Bakit ginagawa nyo akong problema ng bayan? Hindi ako (I say it repeatedly, even when I was still in the cabinet. I already said this before. I am not the problem. Why are you making me the problem? It’s not me),” the official added.
She lamented that the country still faces the same problems such as poverty, hunger, and criminality it faces 10 or 20 years ago, and asked government officials, including her political rivals, to work for the good of the people.
She also stood by her remarks last week about the Marcos family even as critics branded her as mentally unstable.
“I’m nothing of unstable, unbecoming, unsound mind, I’m just unforgiving, unyielding and unbowed,” Duterte said.