VP Sara: Marcos didn't understand sarcasm on gratitude for renewed relationship with dad Rodrigo

THE HAGUE – Vice President Sara Duterte said on Friday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may have misunderstood her when she recently remarked that she had to thank him for her renewed relationship with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Hindi niya siguro naiintindihan na ang duty and obligation niya ay para sa bayan, hindi para ayusin ang mga personal na problema ng mga pamilya. The sarcasm was lost on him,” the vice president told reporters when asked to respond to Marcos' statement of “Glad I could help,” as relayed by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Thursday.

(President Marcos most likely did not realize that his duty and obligation was to the country, not to resolve family issues. The sarcasm was lost on him.)

Following her visit to Duterte at Scheveningen Prison on Tuesday, the vice president, along with her half-sister Kitty, told reporters and their family’s supporters that she “[has] to thank Bongbong Marcos” as there was “forgiveness between me and [former President Duterte] for all that has happened in our lives.” 

On Thursday, Castro said Sara Duterte should have thanked her father instead. 

''Mas maganda po siguro kung magpasalamat muna si VP Sara sa kanyang ama mismo, kay dating Pangulong Duterte, dahil kung siya man po ay nagkaroon ng pagkakataon at nagkaroon ng oras kasama ang kanyang ama ay dahil po ito sa kasong EJK,'' Castro said.

(It's better if she thanks her father, former President Duterte, because she was given time to be with her father because of the latter's case in relation to the case involving alleged extrajudicial killings.)

She then relayed Marcos' message.

Duterte is facing trial before the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity in connection with the controversial war on drugs during his term. He was arrested despite the Marcos administration's earlier declarations that it would not cooperate with the ICC, from which the Philippines discontinued its membership in 2019. — VBL, GMA Integrated News