President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the Basic Education Report 2024 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on January 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATE) — Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday unleashed her sharpest attack yet on President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., saying the country was "on this road to hell" because he "does not know how to be president."

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"Hindi ko kasalanan that we’re on this road to hell... Hindi marunong maging presidente ang nakaupo. Kasalanan ko ba ‘yun? Hindi," Duterte said in a press conference.

(It's not my fault that the country is on this road to hell. The one in charge does not know how to be president. Is that my fault? No.)

"Kasi kung alam mo naman na may kakulangan ka, bibilisan mo yung gagawin mo para mag-catch up. Hindi ka naman uupo lang doon," Duterte also said.

Marcos and Duterte had teamed up to a landslide victory in the May 2022 presidential and vice presidential election.

But after months of tense relations between their families, Duterte in June quit Marcos' Cabinet and resigned as the vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

ABS-CBN is reaching out to the Palace for its reaction.

The Vice President also reiterated her earlier accusation that the Marcos administration was carrying out a "PR attack" against her through the House panel probe on her alleged fund misuse.

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But several House leaders called Duterte's remarks a "desperate" attempt to dodge questions on "public fund misuse during her leadership of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education."

“Public funds are at stake here. Stop diverting the issue and address the controversy directly... Huwag puro iwas, the people deserve clear answers. Pati military ginamit mo, yet they were denied what was due to them. This needs to be explained," said Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. 

Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe  said the Vice President was “clearly desperate to deflect attention.”

"Instead of addressing these serious allegations, she’s attacking others. The education system declined under her leadership, and public funds were mishandled. She must take responsibility,” Dalipe pointed out.

House lawmakers found an ally in Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who lauded their probe for "fiscalizing Vice President Sara Duterte's use of her official funds."

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