Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday, June 12, said she has no intention of taking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s position through extra-constitutional means, even as she launched a sharp attack on the Chief Executive by calling him "shameless."

Speaking to reporters in Davao City after Independence Day activities, Duterte rejected calls from some groups and retired military officers for her to lead a People Power-style movement to remove Marcos from office.

Duterte stressed that any change in leadership must follow the Constitution, noting that, as Vice President, she is the country's constitutional successor.

“Ako, I am the constitutional successor, I am the next in line ayon sa ating Constitution (I am the constitutional successor; I am the next in line according to our Constitution),” Duterte said.

She said her oath of office requires her to uphold and defend the Constitution, making it impossible for her to support efforts to overthrow the government outside legal processes.

“At meron akong sinumpaan noong ako ay nag-assume ng office of the Vice President at nakalagay doon that I will preserve and defend the Constitution (When I assumed the office of the Vice President, I took an oath stating that I will preserve and defend the Constitution),” she added.

“So, wala sa aking mga kamay ang pagsasagawa ng extra-constitutional means to overthrow the current administration at hindi ko din gusto 'yun (Therefore, it is not within my authority to carry out extra-constitutional means to overthrow the current administration, and I do not want that),” the Vice President said.

Duterte also dismissed suggestions that she wants to replace Marcos before the end of his term.

“Hindi ko gusto agawin 'yung posisyon ni Bongbong Marcos (I do not want to take Bongbong Marcos's position),” she added.

Despite rejecting calls for a political uprising, Duterte delivered one of her strongest criticisms yet of the President, saying she wants Filipinos to witness the administration's performance until Marcos's term ends.

“Gusto ko makita ng taong bayan hanggang sa dulo kung gaano ka walang hiya si BBM (I want the Filipino people to see until the very end how shameless BBM is),” she added.

Since April 2026, reports have surfaced that some groups allegedly composed of retired military officers have been encouraging support for political action against the Marcos administration.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said certain groups, mostly retired military officers, were allegedly seeking support from active uniformed personnel.

There have also been public calls from some groups for Vice President Sara Duterte to lead or support a People Power-style movement, although the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have both said they have not validated any credible destabilization threat.

The remarks underscore the deepening rift between Marcos and Duterte, whose alliance propelled them to a landslide victory in the 2022 elections but has since fractured amid political disagreements and public exchanges between the two camps.

Duterte's comments came as speculation continues over the future of the Marcos-Duterte relationship, alongside growing calls from some administration critics for political change.

Earlier in her Independence Day speech in Davao City, the Vice President also accused high-ranking government officials, including the President, of corruption, warning that threats to freedom and sovereignty can come from within the government itself.

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“Ang kalayaan natin at ang soberanya natin, hindi siya nawawala sa mga foreign invaders lamang (Our freedom and sovereignty are not lost only because of foreign invaders),” Duterte said.

“Nawawala din siya kapag 'yung mga matataas na opisyal ng ating pamahalaan, kasama na ang Pangulo, ay mala-sindikato sa pagnanakaw ng pera ng bayan (They are also lost when high-ranking government officials, including the President, operate like a syndicate in stealing the people's money),” she added.

Duterte said corruption directly harms ordinary Filipinos.

“Every peso that is stolen is pagkawala ng dignidad ng bawat tao (a loss of dignity for every person),” she said.

While Duterte ruled out supporting efforts to remove Marcos through extra-constitutional means, her latest remarks signal that her criticism of the administration is likely to intensify as political tensions continue to rise amid the impeachment complaint against the Vice President ahead of the 2028 elections.