Duterte came to Malacañan on Wednesday, June 19, to personally tender her resignation as a member of the Marcos Cabinet, Education Secretary, and vice-chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
VP Sara resigns from Marcos Cabinet
At a glance
Vice President Sara Duterte has resigned from all her Cabinet positions, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced.
In a Facebook post, the PCO said that Duterte came to Malacañan on Wednesday, June 19, to personally tender her resignation as a member of the Marcos Cabinet, Education Secretary, and vice-chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
"At 2:21 pm today, 19 June 2024, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, went to Malacañan and tendered her resignation as Member of the Cabinet, Secretary of the Department of Education, and Vice Chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC, effective 19 July 2024," it wrote.
"We thank her for her service," it added.
Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said President Marcos accepted Duterte's resignation.
She will continue to serve as Vice President.
According to the PCO, Duterte declined to explain why she chose to resign. In a press conference shortly after, she said she sought an audience with the President and tendered her resignation.
"I have given my 30-day notice to ensure the proper and orderly transition for the benefit of the next secretary," she said.
"Ang aking pagbibitiw ay hindi lulan ng kahinaan kundi dala ng tunay na malasakit para sa ating mga guro at kabataang Pilipino (My resignation is not because of weakness but because of my genuine concern for our teachers and the Filipino youth)," she added.
This is not the first time in Philippine politics that a sitting vice president resigned from their cabinet post. In June 2015, Former vice president Jejomar Binay submitted his irrevocable resignation from the Aquino Cabinet. He served as housing czar and presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
Marcos and Duterte ran together and emerged victorious in the 2022 national elections. Duterte was among the first people to receive a Cabinet post. She initially expressed her desire to head the Department of National Defense (DND) but was appointed as the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).
The two leaders had always maintained a good relationship despite political developments. Duterte resigned as chairperson of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) in May 2023 after the House of Representatives demoted former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to deputy speaker.
In December 2023, Vice President Duterte disagreed with President Marcos' move to restart peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and likened his move to an "agreement with the devil."
The relationship between the two leaders faced another adversity when the Vice President's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, publicly accused Marcos of being a drug addict in January this year. Despite this, the President said his relationship with the Vice President remained the same and even rejected calls to kick her out of the Cabinet.
However, this did not sit well with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos who said in April that Vice President Duterte "crossed the line" when the latter laughed at the drug addict remark.
"For me nasaktan ako (I was hirt) because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together 'di ba, 'Sama-sama tayo babangon muli' (and said together we will rise as one)," she told broadcaster Anthony Taberna.
"Pupunta ka sa rally, tawagan yung presidente mong bangag, 'di ba? You're going to laugh? Tama ba 'yan? (You'll go to a rally, and your president will be called stoned. You're going to laugh? Is that right?) Even [former vice president] Leni (Robredo) never did that," she added.