Marcos doesn’t know how to be president - Duterte

Metro Manila, Philippines – It took nearly two and a half years for the tandem to beat in the 2022 presidential election to come to terms with the saying, “In politics, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies, just permanent interest."

In a lengthy press conference on Friday, Oct. 18, Vice President Sara Duterte was candid and had no kind words to her ex-ally President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and said he does not know how to run the country.

Marcos earlier said when asked by the media to describe his relationship with Duterte: “I’m a little dismayed to hear that she doesn’t think that we are friends. I always thought that we were. But maybe I was deceived.”

On the other hand, the vice president said Marcos had no platform when he ran for president.

“Hindi niya sinabi ano ang gagawin natin sa food security. Wala siyang sinabi kung anong gagawin sa inflation,” said Duterte.

“Kaya nga umalis ako sa administration. Hindi ko na gusto nakikita ko doon,” she said.

[Translation: He didn’t say what we will do on food security. He didn’t tell us anything about addressing inflation…That’s why I left the administration. I don’t like what I was seeing there.]

Towards the end of the nearly two-hour talk fielding questions to the media in between, the vice president said she has a list of impeachable offenses against the president but did not give details, and even doubted whether or not the House of Representatives dominated by administration allies would be receptive.

“Sa tingin niyo papasa iyan sa House? Of course hindi,” she said, referring to supposed impeachable offenses against Marcos.

[Translation: Do you think impeaching Marcos will pass the House? Of course not.]

‘I was used’ to boost Marcos bid

Duterte said the president’s sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, convinced her to run for vice-president with Marcos.

She said the lawmaker wanted to boost his brother’s chances in getting elected against then Vice President Leni Robredo - who beat Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential race.

“Clear iyon. Tinanong ko bakit ako. And then she (Imee) said, ‘Matatalo kami ni Leni kung hindi mo dalhin ang Bisaya,’” she said.

[That’s clear. I asked why me? And then she (Imee) said, ‘Leni will beat us if you won’t give us the Visayan voters.’]

Despite her tirades, Duterte said she did not regret running for office.

“Very rational iyong decision making ko as vice president,” she said.

[Translation: My decision to run as vice president was very rational.]

Marcos and Duterte were elected under the UniTeam in 2022, marking the first time in recent history that the two highest government officials came from a single ticket.

In a statement, Malacañang declined to comment on Duterte’s claims.

New opposition

A political analyst said Duterte’s bold statements shows her will to “embrace her new role as the new opposition.”

“She’s taking every opportunity to criticize the president’s actions, decisions, and policies since she’s no longer with the administration,” said Dennis Coronacion, chairperson of the University of Santo Tomas political science department.

Duterte quit the Cabinet in July when she resigned as education chief.

Coronacion, however, said the vice president might want to consider giving more “substantive criticisms.”

“My only suggestion is that whenever she criticizes the president she should not settle for those superficial remarks,” he said. “In that way, people will take her seriously and not see her as a bitter person.”