Vice President Sara Duterte slammed her detractors, saying she was being attacked because she was a hindrance to their personal ambitions.
VP Sara: We're an enemy they must eliminate to clear the way for them
Vice President Sara Duterte (Manila Bulletin File Photo)
"To them, we are a hindrance, an obstruction to the path of their personal ambition, an enemy they must eliminate to clear their way," Duterte said in her speech during the celebration of 127th Philippine Independence Day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday, June 12.
Without naming names, Duterte said her showing of compassion and service to the nation is a "threat to the interest of some."
"The attacks are cowardly yet openly disingenuous and arrogant, absent of basic human decency and respect for the rule of law, typical of people drunk in power," she said.
"Pero nanatili tayong nakatayo dahil ang ipinaglalaban natin ay tama at totoo (But we remain standing because what we are fighting for is right and true," she added.
The Vice President also took a swipe at people in power whose interests are not for the welfare of Filipinos.
"Gamit ang dahas at hiram na kapangyarihan ay papahirapan nila tayo (Using violence and borrowed power, they are making us suffer)," Duterte said, adding that what happened to her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, was a "concrete example."
Duterte said she remains resolute in fighting despite the threats and attacks.
"We remain strong, steadfast, and grounded in truth, integrity, and faith that the hand of God will move in ways we cannot comprehend at this point. Justice bents to the truth and we are ever more resolute in our fight for the Philippines," she said.
"At naniwala akong maipapanalo natin ang laban na ito dahil laban natin itong lahat. Maipapanalo natin ito sa kabila ng mga banta, pananakot, pagmamalabis, at bangis (And I believe we will win this fight because this is our fight. We will win this despite threats, abuse, and cruelty)," she added.