The “intent” of President Marcos not to step down from the presidency and to perpetuate himself in power led to an impeachment case that was designed to remove her as contender in 2028, Vice President Sara Duterte claimed.
VP Sara claims Marcos wants her impeached to stay in power
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte during the Brigada Eskwela in Manila last Aug. 14, 2023. (Ali Vicoy/MANILA BULLETIN)
In an interview with Russia Today International on Wednesday, June 25, Vice President named the President and his allies in the House of Representatives as those behind the impeachment case against her.
“Well, it's all about the refusal or the intent of President Marcos. It is the intent of President Marcos not to step down. He wants to perpetuate himself or his family in power. It is clear from the moves of his administration against political opponents,” she said.
Without mentioning names, she added that she has “personal knowledge” that one of Marcos’ relatives wants to run as president in 2028.
The Vice President previously said Speaker Martin Romualdez, the President’s cousin, has dreams to become president.
Duterte claimed that the House of Representatives initially wanted a People’s Initiative to amend the Constitution, shifting the form of government to parliamentary wherein a prime minister will not be voted by popular choice.
“When they failed in this, they started the impeachment. And clearly, evidence shows that the members of the House of Representatives, many of them who signed, did not read the articles of impeachment,” she explained.
“And one particular member of the House of Representatives already said publicly that there was money in exchange for the signatures in the Articles of Impeachment, because I am the frontrunner in the presidential race in 2028, the survey shows that. And I think they want to eliminate the frontrunner,” the official alleged.
Duterte also said she believed the arrest and detention of her father in The Hague, Netherlands happened because the administration wanted to “weaken” their family.
“They think that if they take out a former president Duterte, they will weaken me because it's one brand, it's one family,” she furthered.
But asked if she has concrete plans to run as president in 2028, the official shared that she’ll have to decide on the last quarter of next year, the deadline given to her by “some supporters.”
As of now, Duterte claimed “I have not planned anything for the presidential race of 2028.”
“But I am comforted by the fact that wherever I go, people express their support and their prayers for former President Duterte,” she said.