VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte does not regret running for the second-highest position in the country despite the political attacks her family has faced purportedly from the administration.
“Hindi ko pinagsisihan ‘yung pagtakbo ko as vice president. Hindi ko rin pinagsisihan na nakipag-tandem ako sa kanya,” the vice president said at a press conference on Friday, Oct. 18.
“May rason ang Diyos kung bakit ako inilagay dito,” she added.
The vice president launched a torrent of criticism against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., asserting that he “does not know how to be president.” She mentioned having imagined violent scenarios after an incident where a student was allegedly humiliated for asking the President for his watch as a graduation gift.
She stated that she has a list of impeachable offenses against President Marcos.
Additionally, she revealed that she told Senator Imee Marcos she would throw the late Marcos’s remains into the West Philippine Sea if the political attacks against her family did not stop.
The vice president believed that she was used by the Marcoses when Senator Imee Marcos asked her to join the UniTeam as the President’s running mate.
According to Duterte, she already filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor of Davao in Oct. 2021 when she received a call from the senator who proposed the idea of running as the vice president next to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
When Duterte asked Marcos why she wanted her to run, the senator replied, “Because we will lose to Leni if you don’t bring the Visayans.”
The vice president appreciated Marcos’s honesty, saying, “I’m happy that she was honest to say, ‘because we will lose to Leni if you don’t bring the Visayans.’ Her aim was ‘It’s all about winning.’”
After telling Imee that she would consider the offer, discuss it with her family, and evaluate her potential to win, she withdrew her mayoral bid on Nov. 9, 2021.
Using the Commission on Elections’ former substitution rules, she then ran for vice president under Lakas-CMD following the withdrawal of its original endorsed candidate.
Despite the challenges, Duterte told reporters that she did not regret running as the vice president, asserting that God has a reason for her victory.
