Sara says Baste resign call made out of ‘brotherly love’

- Advertisement -

VICE President Sara Duterte yesterday said she has not spoken to her younger brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte about his call for President Marcos Jr.’s resignation but believes he only made it out of his love for her.

“I have not spoken to my brother about his remarks on the President’s resignation. I can only surmise that he is coming from a place of brotherly love, coupled by the common sentiment that I do not deserve the despicable treatment that I am receiving from some sectors within the circle of the President,” the Vice President said in a statement.

In his speech at the “Hakbang ng Maisug” prayer rally in Davao City Sunday, Mayor Duterte criticized Marcos for being lazy and for his administration’s failure to continue the campaign against illegal drugs and insurgency.

- Advertisement -

The Vice President, who attended the anti-Charter change rally in Davao City last Sunday night after a brief appearance at the “Bagong Pilipinas” rally in Luneta, said that despite the attacks she has been receiving, she cannot turn her back on the mandate given to her by the people.

“Naniniwala ako na ang boto ng taumbayan ay isang pagkakaloob ng tiwala na ako’y magtatrabaho at maninilbihan para lamang sa Pilipino. Kasama ng tiwalang ito, ang tiwalang kakayanin ko ang anumang atake, black propaganda, paninirang-puri, at iba pang mga hamon na ibabato sa aking pagkatao (I believe that the people’s vote is a trust given to me for me to work for and serve only the Filipinos. With that trust comes the faith that I will withstand whatever attacks, black propaganda, defamation, and other challenges that will be thrown at my person),” she said.

While it’s not easy, Duterte vowed to continue “to draw inspiration from the trust given to me by the people.” “I take heart from the confidence of the people in my ability to work and thrive in a pandemonium. Sa kabila ng lahat, hindi ako kailanman panghihinaan ng loob (Amid all of these, I will never lose heart). I will stay true to my work at the Department of Education, unless the President says otherwise,” she also said.

At the House, administration lawmakers slammed Mayor Duterte for being “disrespectful” to the Chief Executive.

“Nabanggit sa Davao (What was mentioned in Davao is), totally disrespectful to a man given the position he holds. It has no basis whatsoever,” Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon told a press conference. “That’s totally uncalled for.”

Suarez said the President’s commitment to the Filipino people and the trust given by the people when he won the presidency “will not be put to waste.”

“You follow him around for your media work, and you can see that the President is dedicated to his job. He starts his schedule early, visiting places, attending Cabinet meetings. It is unfortunate that it had to be mentioned that way, but we commit our unequivocal support to our President,” Suarez said.

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales said: “We have to respect the Office of the President. It is baffling that he is being asked to resign. Our President is very hardworking.

Kapag iyon ang panawagan, alam niyo na ang kasunod (if that’s the call, you know what’s next).”

Also yesterday afternoon, the House overwhelmingly adopted a resolution expressing its vigorous support to the President and his “Bagong Pilipinas” program.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said the expression of a message of unity with the President was unanimously agreed upon by leaders of political parties in the House in an all-majority party caucus on Sunday night.

“So, these major political parties that comprise the membership of the House – we are one in solidarity with President BBM in his endeavor to bring about a Bagong Pilipinas and a better life for our people,” he said.

House Resolution (HR) No. 1557, principally authored by the Speaker, is entitled “Expressing the strong and unqualified support of the House of Representatives to His Excellency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., for his leadership and sincere commitment to steer the country toward a ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ (New Philippines) through responsive and efficient service for the benefit of the Filipino people.”

UNITEAM NO MORE

Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday said the “UniTeam” alliance of the President and the Vice President is “98 percent” over following the attendance of the latter in the Duterte-family led rally in Davao City.

“It is clear that (her attendance in Davao rally) put a period to what we call the UniTeam.

That put an end to the so-called unity team between the President and the Vice President.

Although I didn’t see Vice President Sara Duterte speak during the rally in Davao, but she was there when (her father and brothers) issued strong words [against Marcos] on Sunday night),” Escudero said in Filipino.

- Advertisement -spot_img

He said the remaining 2 percent of the alliance is due to the Vice President’s appearance at the Bagong Pilipinas rally.

“There’s still something left… But strong words were said by former President (Rodrigo) Duterte, Mayor Sebastian Duterte, and Rep. Paolo Duterte [against the President] in her presence and she did not even defend the President or at least tried to stop them),” he added.

The political divide between the Dutertes and Marcos, Escudero said, should be blamed on the people’s initiative campaign being pushed by the House of Representatives.

“At ang nagdudulot ng kawalan ng pagkakaisang ito ay ang debate at pagsulong nitong pagbabago na naman sa ating Saligang Batas sa isang paraan, na ika nga ni Pangulong Duterte, ay tinatratong parang ignorante ang ating mga kababayan at minamaliit (The disunity is caused by the debates on the push to amend the Constitution in a manner which former President Duterte said was treating the people as ignorant),” he said.

On Sunday, presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos said that cracks have been showing on the UniTeam due to the “devils” surrounding his brother.

Escudero said the cracks on the UniTeam started when President Marcos remained silent on the issue over the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.

“Dalawang bagay ‘yun — pinayagn niyang tanggalin, sumang-ayon siyang tanggalin o hindi niya pinaki-alaman at hinayaan na lang ang Kamara at ang Senado na gawin ‘yun (There are two things — either he approved its removal or he did not mind it and just allowed the House and Senate to do it),” he said.

SELF-SERVING

Labor leader and defeated presidential candidate Leody de Guzman yesterday chided Davao City mayor Duterte for calling for the resignation of Marcos, saying it is an attempt to move his sister on a fast lane to the presidency.

While Mayor Duterte premised his statement on love of country, De Guzman said it was the pursuit of greater political clout that fueled the suggestion.

“Self-serving ang panukala ni Baste na mag-resign si BBM. Dahil ang ibig sabihin nito ay aandar ang constitutional succession at ang kanyang kapatid na si Sara ang awtomatikong hihirangin bilang pangulo (That suggestion from Baste for BBM (Marcos) to step down was self-serving. Because then constitutional succession will come into play and his own sister Sara will automatically takeover as president),” he said.

“Hindi pagmamahal sa bayan ang pinagmumulan ni Mayor Baste Duterte sa kanyang hamon kay BBM kundi pag-ibig sa kapangyarihan. (It was not love of country that drove mayor Baste Duterte to issue his dare on Marcos but desire for power.)” the labor leader added.

He warned that although early preference surveys showed the Vice President as the frontrunner, the experience of former Vice President Jejomar Binay who lost in his 2016 presidential bid is instructive that early favorites could falter in the homestretch.

De Guzman dismissed Mayor Duterte’s statements against the President as an attempt to stoke public perception of a weak Marcos leadership.

“Walang pinag-iba si Marcos Jr. at si Baste Duterte. Pareho silang mula sa bagong henerasyon ng mga political dynasty. Kaya naman pareho silang walang kahiya-hiya para lantarang problemahin ang kanilang interes ng angkan para sa halalang 2025 at 2028 (There’s little distinction between Marcos Jr. and Baste Duterte. Both are products of a new generation of political dynasty. This explains their shameless pursuit of their family’s own interests in the coming 2025 and 2028 elections),” he said.

NO ACHIEVEMENT

Reacting to former president Duterte’s statements against Cha-cha, Romualdez said her could only be resorting to his usual “budol-budol” attitude, or saying one thing but totally means the opposite.

“Baka binubudol-budol lang tayo nun. Kasi sabi nya, ‘yan ang basehan kung bakit sya naging presidente. Wala naman siyang ginawa na maayos (Maybe he’s just fooling us. He didn’t achieve anything good),” he said.

Romualdez said the former president could be opposing the initiative now because he failed in his federalism bid.

“Mukhang hindi nya nakayanan e. Ngayon na may naglulunsad na magandang move for Charter amendments, baka nakikita nya na ‘yung hindi n’ya nagawa ay magagawa. Baka mangyari na ngayon kaya sinisiraan niya (It seems that he couldn’t do it. Now that there are others who are initiating a good move for Charter amendments, maybe he’s realizing that what he did is being done. It could be achieved now so he’s discrediting it),” he said.

Romualdez reminded the people that Duterte’s entire presidential campaign was based on a platform for a shift to a parliamentary form of government and his anti-drug campaign.

He said that unlike the Ch-cha initiative mow, Duterte’s campaign for a shift to federalism requires political amendments. “Hindi lang ‘yang amendment ng economic provisions, ‘yan yung pagbabago nung buong sistema ng government (It’s not just an amendment of economic provisions, that entails the whole system of government,” said the Speaker.

COMMITTED

Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr yesterday reiterated the military’s commitment in accomplishing its mandate as protector of the people and the state.

Brawner made the statement amid calls by former President Duterte for the AFP and the PNP to intervene and stop government efforts to amend the Constitutional through a people’s initiative.

During a prayer rally against Charter change on Sunday night in Davao City, Duterte said he wants the AFP and the PNP to arrest those who are wasting people’s money to buy the signatures of Filipinos for Charter change.

Duterte also said the administration wants a shift to parliamentary form of government to perpetuate themselves in power and urged the AFP and the PNP to protect the Constitution and think of the millions of Filipinos.

He said the military should step in by opposing the Charter change if it wants to prevent bloodshed.

In reaction, Brawner said: “We shall remain committed to our mandate, we will continue to perform our mission to protect our territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights from any emerging external and internal threats.”

He asked military personnel to remain focus on their job — protection of both territorial or external defense operations and internal security operations.

“I enjoin our soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines to be laser-focused on their mission, true to the tradition of bravery, sacrifice, and selflessness of the noble profession of arms,” said Brawner.

“The AFP shall continue to be united, competent, capable, and non-partisan — steadfast and committed to our mandate of protecting our People and securing our State from all threats, foreign and domestic,” said Brawner. — With Raymond Africa, Peter Tabingo and Victor Reyes

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: