Vice President Sara Duterte claimed that her political enemies have paid an initial P25 million for the apparent attacks hurled against her.
Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to her Filipino supporters during a meet and greet event in Tokyo, Japan on Jan. 12, 2025. (SMNI/Facebook)
In an intimate meet-and-greet with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are also her supporters in Tokyo, Japan, the official said this was just an initial amount and she was sure there are more funds being circulated to destroy her.
“Kasi noong nangyari ‘yon, noong 2023 doon sa budget sa (Because when it happened in 2023 on the budget of) Department of Education and Office of the Vice President, sinabihan na ako nung kilala ko, kaibigan ko sa loob ng PR industry ng National Capital Region. Sabi nila, ang unang baba was P25 million para banatan ka (my friend from the PR industry in the National Capital Region already told me. They said, the initial fund was P25 million to attack me),” she shared.
“So, I’m sure meron pang iba pang budget diyan para tuloy-tuloy ang banat (there are other budget to continually attack me),” she added.
The Vice President met her supporters in Ginza, Tokyo more than a week after they staged a rally at the famed Shibuya crossing in Tokyo to show their support.
According to Duterte's office, her visit to Japan last weekend for a meeting with various OFW groups there was a "private trip".
Duterte, who has been under attack along with her executives at the OVP and DepEd when she was still its secretary, said she realized she has no politician-friends.
“Mayroon lang akong realization na lahat pala ng politiko ay hindi mo kaibigan. Ang kaibigan mo lang talaga iyong taumbayan. Totoo ‘yan (My realization is that all politicians are not your friends. Your only friend is the people. That’s true),” she added.
Some of those attacking her now, she shared, were her friends from 2016 or 2019 during the elections.
In fact, a former congressman, the father of one of the politicians attacking her, even approached her to ask for understanding and to wish her well.
However, the Vice President was both surprised and thankful that these political attacks came early.
“Hay salamat, maaga siya dumating. At least, alam na natin kung ano iyong iniisip nila, ano iyong gagawin nila, ano iyong sinasabi nila (Thank you, the attacks came early. At least, we know what they’re thinking, what they’re going to do, what they’re saying),” Duterte said.
“Kasi at least ngayon, may time tayo na mag-isip din kung ano iyong kailangan nating gagawin (Because at least now, we have time to think what we need to do),” the official added.
While cracks between the once UniTeam tandem have shown less than a year into office, it was not until 2024 when the Vice President resigned from her DepEd post, stripped off a large chunk of her proposed 2025 budget, and subjected to congressional inquiries.
On Monday, Jan. 13, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) held what it dubbed a “National Peace Rally” to show support for the official, who is currently facing at least four impeachment cases lodged at the House of Representatives.