This was President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s succinct response when asked about Vice President Sara Duterte’s departure from his Cabinet.
Duterte resigned as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and as Vice Chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), citing the department’s best interest as the reason for her decision.
Despite speculations, Duterte denied that First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos influenced her resignation from DepEd.
On the day Duterte handed over the DepEd post to Senator Sonny Angara, she confirmed that she would not accept another Cabinet position.
“Hindi na ako magseserve in another Cabinet post sa Marcos administration,” she stated. (I won’t serve in another Cabinet post under the Marcos administration.)
Back in April, First Lady Araneta-Marcos expressed on the “Tune in kay Tunying” program that Duterte had fallen out of her favor unless she apologized for the drug accusations made by her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, against President Marcos.
The First Lady was offended by Duterte’s reaction to her father’s “bangag” comment about President Marcos at a January rally in Davao City.
Duterte acknowledged the First Lady’s displeasure but maintained that it did not affect her duties as Vice President.
President Marcos previously mentioned that Duterte did not provide reasons for her resignation. Senator Sonny Angara officially took over the DepEd post on Thursday.