President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte answer questions at a press briefing in Manila on August 14, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA – Vice President Sara Duterte over the weekend rejected claims that she would lead the opposition against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration after she resigned from his Cabinet. 

“Sa trabaho ko at sa pagkatao ko at sa prinsipyo ko hindi ako gumalaw for the administration, for the opposition or ano man ang politka na 'yan. Ang galaw ko ay base sa kung ano ang makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan,” she said.

(I don’t move for the administration, for the opposition or for politics. All my actions are based on what would help Filipinos.) 

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The Vice President resigned in June as head of the Department of Education and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), following tense relations between the Marcos and Duterte families. 

Duterte has not recommended a new DepEd secretary to the President, saying the selection should be based on “trust and confidence.”

“Dapat talaga 'yan pinili ng pangulo dahil dapat 'yan pinagkakatiwalaan ng pangulo,” she said. 

(That should really be the President's choice because they will need the President's confidence)

In her remaining days as DepEd secretary, she said that she would be present in all national events that will be held in Cebu in July.

These include the Palarong Pambansa, National Learners’ Convergence, National Learning Camp, National Festival of Talents, National Schools Press Conference and the Brigada Eskwela.

She said that has prepared all documents for the turnover of responsibilities to the next DepEd chief.     

DUTERTES IN SENATE? 

The Vice President reiterated that her brothers and former President Rodrigo Duterte are eyeing seats in the Senate.

“As far as I know, if I talk to the group of former President Rodrigo Duterte, they would say they are ready to run,” she said.

The slate would include other Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP)  senators who are reelectionists, she added.

The Vice President said  she has no intention of joining them as she is not a member of PDP or any national party.

She said she is only affiliated with Hugpong ng Pagbabago at the local level and the Hugpong ng Taong Lungsod in Davao City.

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