A reconciliation with President Marcos and her political rivals in the House of Representatives is possible only if they apologize to members of the embattled televangelist Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) and the resource persons they demand to appear before congressional hearings, Vice President Sara Duterte said on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
(From left) President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte (MB file photo)
In a media interview in Pasay City, the official indicated that there might be willingness on her part to make amends with her political detractors and Marcoses, with whom she became friends with during the 2022 campaign.
But in turn, they must apologize to KOJC members who were hurt or who lost their loved ones during the government-led raid of their compound to look for Quiboloy, who’s facing human trafficking and sexual abuse cases.
The Vice President also stressed an apology is necessary for those who have had sleepless nights because of the constant grilling they face in congressional inquiries that attack the Duterte family.
“Hindi lang sorry na, ‘oh sorry ah,’ hindi. Pangalanan nila lahat. Mag-sorry kayo sa kanila. Pag-isipan ko kung patatawarin ko kayo (Not just sorry for the sake of saying sorry, it’s not like that. Name them all. Say sorry to them. Then, I will think if I will forgive you),” she said.
Quiboloy, who is also in the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Most Wanted list, is a known ally and supporter of the Duterte family.
He is currently detained after a weeks-long raid of the KOJC compound in Davao City.
Meanwhile, Duterte accused that the congressional inquiries—one that’s aimed at her office’s alleged misuse of public funds and another against her father’s war on drugs campaign—are “diversionary” tactic meant to cover up the country’s real problems.
“Ayoko lang sumagot diyan sa ginagawa nilang circus. Di naman ako ang nagmumukhang tanga diyan, sila. Kasi hindi na nila ginagawa ang trabaho nila (I don’t want to answer to that circus. I’m not the one looking stupid, they are. Because they’re not doing their jobs),” she said.
“And for what? diversionary. Uy, sabihin nyo sa kanila gutom ang mga tao. Wala silang pambili ng pagkain (Tell them the people are hungry. They don’t have money for food),” she added.
The Vice President further pointed out that her detractors are making it seem like she’s the country’s biggest problem.
“Hindi ako ang problema. Bakit ginagawa nyo akong problema ng bayan? Hindi ako (I am not the problem. Why are you making me the country’s problem? Not me),” she stressed.