Sara thanks Marcos for ‘continued trust’
Credit to Author: Elizabeth Marcelo| Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte thanked President Marcos for still trusting her amid calls for her resignation as Department of Education (DepEd) chief by several lawmakers.
“Thank you very much, President Marcos for your continued trust in me as Secretary of the Department of Education,” Duterte said in a statement in Filipino posted on her Facebook account on Wednesday.
“You can count on the DepEd, composed of our teachers and non-teaching personnel, to continue serving with honesty for the future of every student,” she added.
The statement was issued after Marcos on Tuesday said he does not see any reason to replace Duterte as DepEd chief, despite his wife’s recent admission in an interview that she now views Sara negatively. Liza said for all the President’s kindness to her, Sara supposedly “crossed the line.”
The First Lady said she was hurt when she saw Sara laughing while her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, was calling the Chief Executive bangag or high on drugs, in a speech at a rally in Davao City.
Marcos said that while he understands the views of his wife, it will not affect his working relationship with Duterte.
“First of all, my first reaction is, ‘what a lucky husband I am’ that I have a wife who is very protective of me,” the President told reporters in Occidental Mindoro.
“It will not affect our working relationship with the Vice President… I think that she also, as a wife, understands how the First Lady feels,” he added.
Duterte on Tuesday issued a video statement saying that the First Lady’s personal feelings have nothing to do with her mandate as the second highest government official, and that she prefers to discuss the matter with Marcos privately.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives, including Manila Third District Rep. Joel Chua and Alliance of Concerned Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, had earlier called for Duterte’s resignation or replacement as DepEd chief.
“The Vice President should show some decency by resigning from her DepEd post at the very least. Her family unleashed a barrage of insults and attacks directly to the President and yet she does nothing and is still enjoying the perks of being part of the official family,” Chua said. – Cecille Suerte Felipe