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VP Sara to supporters: Work, protest online instead of holding street rallies
VP Sara to supporters: Work, protest online instead of holding street rallies
Instead of participating in street rallies, Vice President Sara Duterte asked her supporters to spend their time working for their families and air their protests on social media instead.
Vice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference about her impeachment in Mandaluyong City on Feb. 7, 2025. (Santi San Juan/MANILA BULLETIN)
In a press conference on Friday, Feb. 7, the official frowned upon the practice of going to rallies in support of politicians, including herself who was impeached by the House of Representatives last week.
Her supporters’ time are better spent working and taking care of their families, she said, because most Filipinos are breadwinners with children to feed.
“Sa panahon ngayon na sobrang mahal ng presyo ng mga bilihin lalong-lalo na ng pagkain, sasabihin ko sa mga supporters, sa taong bayan, na unahin muna nila ang trabaho at negosyo nila kaysa sa mag-rally sila sa daan (Times like this, when prices are high, especially food, I will tell my supporters, the people, to prioritize their jobs and businesses instead of rallying on the streets),” she added.
Noting that the Philippines is the social media capital of the world, the official instead advised her supporters to protest online.
“Kung gusto talaga nilang magsalita at tumulong, doon nalang sila sa social media kung saan nakakatrabaho pa rin sila pero nagagawa nila kung ano yung nararamdaman nila na gusto nilang gawin — at iyon ay magsalita at marinig sila ng taumbayan at ng mundo (If they want to speak up and help, they can do so on social media where they can work and express their feelings—where they can speak up and be heard by the people and the world),” Duterte said.
Last month, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) mounted the National Rally for Peace that drew a reported crowd of 1.8 million members.
The INC said the rally was in support of President Marcos’ call not to impeach the Vice President, and refused to take sides in the rift between the Dutertes and Marcoses.
However, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte claimed after his sister was impeached by the House of Representatives last week that the INC rally showed the group’s defiance to her being politically persecuted by lawmakers, most of whom were allies of the President.