Vice President Sara Duterte has stated that her public criticism of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is rooted strictly in his governance, denying any personal animosity toward him.
Speaking during an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte sought to draw a clear line between her personal view of the chief executive and her assessment of his presidential performance.
Addressing her relationship with Marcos, Duterte emphasized that her objections are focused on leadership rather than personal grievances:
”Wala akong problema sa kanya bilang tao. Ang problema ko sa kanya bilang presidente. Wala kaming alitan na personal na dalawa. Baka para sa kanya, meron. Pero para sa akin wala.”
She further asserted that her vocal opposition to the current leadership is protected by law:
”And whatever I say, whatever comment I have with his administration and with the government right now is my right to freedom of speech.”
Once key political allies who achieved a sweeping victory together in the 2022 elections, Duterte and Marcos have experienced a high-profile political fallout. Their alliance fractured, leading to Duterte’s resignation as Secretary of the Department of Education and her emergence as one of the administration’s main political critics.
The Vice President’s latest comments come as she faces an ongoing impeachment trial. Among the charges under review are past public remarks where she claimed to have instructed an assassin to target President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were to be killed.