Vice President Sara Duterte questioned why President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. won the 2022 elections, accusing him of “lying” to Filipinos about his capabilities and plans for the country amid what she described as worsening economic conditions under the current administration.

Speaking before overseas Filipino workers and supporters on May 5 in The Hague, Duterte said many people continue to wonder how Marcos became president.

“That is the question by [sic] everyone,” Duterte said. “Hindi din natin alam kung bakit nangyari ang mga nangyari na nanalo siya (We also don’t know why the events that led to his victory happened),” she added.

Marcos became the 17th President of the Philippines during the May 2022 national elections, securing more than 31 million votes, or about 58.8 percent of the total votes cast.

“Pero para sa akin, nagsinungaling talaga siya sa kanyang gusto gawin para sa bayan at sa kanyang mga kapasidad na maging Pangulo (But for me, he really lied about what he wanted to do for the nation and about his capacity to be President),” said Duterte, who was Marcos’ running mate and who won the vice presidency in the same election.

Duterte also criticized the state of the Philippine economy, citing high fuel prices, inflation, and the weakening peso as burdens on ordinary Filipinos.

“Triple whammy ang nangyayari sa atin. Sobrang taas na presyo ng fuel, krudo. Sobrang taas ng palitan ng dolyar, at sobrang taas ng inflation (What’s happening to us is a triple whammy: fuel prices are soaring, the dollar exchange rate is skyrocketing, and inflation is extremely high),” Duterte said.

“Sa akin lang, kung hindi man kaya tulungan ng administration, ng gobyerno, lahat, dapat tulungan nila ‘yung mga pinaka nasa ilalim, na hindi na talaga nila makaya kahit man lang ‘yung simpleng pagbili ng pagkain (For me, even if the administration cannot help everyone, they should at least extend support to those at the very bottom—those who can no longer afford even the simple act of buying food),” she added.

Duterte then urged the government to prioritize assistance for poor Filipinos struggling to afford food and other basic necessities.

“Kasi ang problema kasi kapag ‘yung mga walang-wala, wala din silang mapuntahan, wala silang recourse. Ang kinakatakutan natin, they will resort to crime and violence, na ayaw natin na mangyari (The real problem is that when those who have nothing are left with nowhere to turn and no recourse, the fear is they may resort to crime and violence—something we do not want to happen),” she added.

Duterte also lamented that rising costs continue to burden consumers of essential goods. She further noted that imported products have become more expensive due to inflation and currency pressures, adding to the hardship faced by Filipino consumers.

“Kawawa talaga, lalo na pati ‘yung consumption natin ng mga important goods kasi ibig sabihin nun, pagbili natin mahal na siya (It’s really unfortunate, especially since even our consumption of important goods is affected, because by the time we buy them, they are already expensive),” Duterte said.

“So pagpasok niya lalo siyang magmahal at marami sa ating mga goods are imported (And when they enter the market, they become even more costly, since many of our goods are imported),” she added.

During the exchange, Duterte also emphasized the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy, saying Philippine leaders should not favor foreign powers over national interests.

“Dapat naman kasi talaga yun na hindi lang para sa President, hindi lang dapat sa Vice President, kahit ordinary Filipinos (That should really apply not only to the President or the Vice President, but even to ordinary Filipinos),” Duterte said.

“It is enshrined in our Constitution that we should have an independent foreign policy na hindi kinikilingan o hindi pinapaburan ang kahit sino except ang interest ng Philippines and the Filipino people (It is enshrined in our Constitution that we must have an independent foreign policy—one that does not favor or lean toward anyone except the interests of the Philippines and the Filipino people),” she added.

Duterte is visiting her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently in detention facing charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).