Expressing her support for the outpouring of anger and frustration by the public, Vice President Sara Duterte said that President Marcos is facing “a profound crisis of confidence” as his administration is plagued with accusations of massive corruption.

In a video message on Monday, Nov. 17, the official claimed that she herself walked away from the administration by resigning as Marcos’ education chief when she learned of how the government has been stealing funds meant for the country’s education sector.

“The President now faces a profound crisis of confidence, especially in the way these corruption investigations are being handled, which appear to lack both direction and resolve. We also seek clear answers on how a budget that deprived Filipinos of billions and billions of pesos was approved under his watch,” she said.

“Kaisa ako ng milyong-milyong Pilipinong nadismaya at nandidiri sa pamahalaang lulong sa insekuridad at walang kabusugang kasakiman (I am one with the millions of Filipinos who are frustrated and disgusted by a government drowning in insecurity and greed),” she added.

Duterte stressed that it is the Filipinos’ right to speak out, and that the government must listen and not set aside the growing public sentiments against corruption.

“We Filipinos deserve better,” she said.

The Vice President recalled how she witnessed first-hand how the House of Representatives manipulated the budget of the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was its head, claiming that funds meant for classrooms were treated as “pork barrel” allocated among allies of people in power.

”Pinili kong huwag sumali sa panggagago sa taong bayan. Sa aking pagbitiw bilang kalihim ng DepEd, ininda ko ang kaliwat-kanan na atake, kasama na ang impeachment, para lamang mapagtakpan nila ang katiwalian sa 2025 budget (I chose not to join the mockery of the public. By resigning as secretary of DepEd, I suffered from attacks left and right, including impeachment, to cover up the anomalies in the 2025 budget),” Duterte stated.

On Sunday, Nov. 16, about 650,000 Filipinos gathered at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila to call for accountability and transparency amid revelations of massive corruption in the government’s infrastructure projects. The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), a religious sect known to be allied to both Marcos and Duterte, led the rally that will last until Tuesday, Nov. 18.