Marcos believes VP Sara 'testing the waters' on election bid plan

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 24) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Vice President Sara Duterte may simply be testing the public's reaction when she announced her intention to run for office again in the future.

"I think she's also testing the waters to see what the reaction will be," Marcos told GMA News anchor Pia Arcangel in a one-on-one interview on Tuesday.

"I haven't talked to her about it. 'Did you hear that Inday Sara announced?' Yes, okay, that's it, wala nang ano doon. 'What do you think she'll do?' Ayan na. Stop it. We'll talk about that later," he said.

Marcos said he has yet to discuss with Duterte her political plans.

During an ambush interview on Wednesday, Duterte also said she has not yet spoken to the president about the elections.

Duterte earlier announced that she would run for public office again but she has yet to confirm which post she was eyeing, as she is expected to hold the second-highest government post until 2028. 

“Narinig ko na ang aking kapatid si Mayor Baste at ang aking kuya na si Congressman (Paolo) Pulong nagsabi na hindi sila tatakbo. Baka hindi sila tatakbo sa sunod na eleksyon, so kaya ako nandito dahil mangangampanya ako sa inyo kasi tatakbo ako sa susunod na eleksyon,” Duterte said in Bisaya during a speech on Monday.

[Translation: I heard that my brother Mayor Baste and my brother Congressman Pulong said they would not run. Maybe they won't run in the next election, that's why I'm here to campaign because I will run in the next election.]

On Wednesday, she refused to categorically respond to media questions on what kind of government position she will vie for.

The vice president merely said the "confusion" surrounding her statement is because people have taken a “piecemeal” approach in interpreting it.

"Ibig sabihin, tinatanggal nila ang isang linya para sabihin kung ano ang gusto nila na interpretation," Duterte said but did not elaborate when asked to clarify her speech.

[Translation: That means they removed a line so it appears to be whatever their interpretation is.]

The only time a vice president of the country had to leave the position was when former president and incumbent Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo became the new chief executive after former President Joseph Estrada was ousted from office in 2001.

The vice president's father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is facing legal issues, including his TV show being under investigation, while he is also being tagged as the principal accused in an international investigation of his administration's drug war.

The Duterte patriarch previously said he would run for senator or vice president if his daughter were to be impeached over the controversy surrounding her confidential funds.