Malacañang reiterated that the decision to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte was the sole prerogative of Congress and was not up to President Marcos.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said this after Gabriela Partylist Arlene Brosas said Marcos was the cause of the delay for the Vice President's impeachment.

In a statement, the Palace official stressed the decision to oust Vice President Duterte was entirely up to Congress.

"The power to initiate and act on impeachment complaints is the sole prerogative of the House of Representatives," Bersamin said.

"Out of respect for institutions, the President will not interfere in a matter over which a co-equal branch has exclusive jurisdiction," he added.

Calls to impeach the Vice President rose following her public declaration that she had contracted someone to "kill" President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez should an assassination attempt against her succeed.

While President Marcos hit the Vice President for her remarks, he said he did not want Congress to pursue impeachment complaints against the Vice President as it would just be a waste of time. He said Duterte was "unimportant" and trying to impeach her would just distract the government from serving Filipinos.

"What will happen if somebody files an impeachment? It will tie down the House, it will tie down the Senate," he said.

"It will just take up all our time and for what? For nothing, for nothing. None of this will help improve a single Filipino life," he added.

Marcos thought things would not have gone sour if Duterte had cooperated during the budget hearings.