Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s call for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign, describing the demand as both laughable and self-serving.
Ridon, a member of the House prosecution panel in Duterte’s impeachment trial, made the remarks during a media forum on Saturday, September 12.
He said Duterte’s position was ironic because she would be the immediate beneficiary should the President leave office.
“Sa totoo lang nakakatawa yung kanyang panawagan para sa pagbibitiw ng ating Pangulo. Ang nakakatawa roon, yung makikinabang sa pag-alis halimbawa ng isang Pangulo yung mismong nananawagan,” Ridon said.
Ridon said Duterte’s supporters could make such a demand, but he considered it inappropriate for the Vice President herself to call for Marcos’ resignation, noting that she is constitutionally next in line to the presidency.
“Alam naman ng tao yun na ang makikinabang pag nagbitiw ang Pangulo ay walang iba kundi ang Pangalawang Pangulo. Nakakatawa yun, medyo makapal yung mukha pagka ganun,” Ridon said.
Duterte made the call on Friday while speaking to supporters outside the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, where she was supposed to face arraignment in connection with her grave threats case. She accused Marcos of being deceitful, abusive, and corrupt.
Ridon also said he could not remember a similar situation in recent Philippine political history where a sitting vice president directly urged an incumbent president to step down.
“Di ko maalaala nung height ng EDSA Dos, or nung panahon ng Pangulong Duterte na yung pangalawang pangulo na pwedeng makinabang sa pagpapalit ng kung sino man maging pangulo ng panahon na yun, ay nananawagan ng pagbibitiw,” Ridon said.
He further described Duterte’s demand as motivated by personal interest.
“Very self-serving yung panawagan ng Pangalawang Pangulo na magbitiw sa pwesto ang ating Pangulo,” he added.
Ridon said calls for the President’s resignation would be more appropriately voiced by Duterte’s spokespersons and supporters rather than by the Vice President herself.