Vice President Sara Duterte opened up about what she described as a “professional crisis” she experienced during her time as a member of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet.
Speaking at a media forum on Thursday, October 16, Duterte said she had endured a series of attacks from within the administration while performing her duties as both Vice President and Secretary of Education.
“Professional crisis (ko) yung naging Vice President ako. I was serving in the Cabinet of BBM at nagtataka ako bakit ako inaatake. Wala naman akong ginagawa (sa kanila),” said Duterte.
She explained that she had simply been focused on her work and commitment to public service, yet found herself at the receiving end of hostility.
“Nagtatrabaho lang ako at yun ang commitment ko din sa bayan. Pero kahit nakaupo ako as Cabinet Secretary sa Department of Education, sa Office of the Vice President, ang ginagawa nila nagro-roll out ng project, inaatake ako ng administrasyon. Yun ‘yung professional crisis na pinagdaanan ko.”
Duterte emphasized that she had done nothing to provoke the administration or President Marcos personally.
“It took me a while to realize my worth and value as a government official na hindi dapat ganito ang ginagawa sa akin kasi wala naman akong ginagawang masama sa administrasyon, kay BBM man o kahit kanino man,” she added.
The Vice President said it took months before she decided to step down from her post at the Department of Education (DepEd), realizing that enduring such treatment was unacceptable.
“Medyo tumagal din ng ilang buwan bago ako nagdesisyon na hindi tama ang ginagawa sa akin, hindi tama yung ginagawa sa opisina kung saan ako nakaupo. I will not endure yung ganoon… Ang desisyon ko lang, aalis ako pero bahala na kayo kung anong gusto niyong gawin,” she said.
Duterte resigned from her Cabinet position in 2024, following controversies surrounding the alleged misuse of confidential funds under both the DepEd and the Office of the Vice President (OVP).