VP Sara says she endured 'professional crisis' while serving under Marcos admin

Vice President Sara Duterte revealed Thursday that she went through what she described as a “professional crisis” during her stint as Cabinet member under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., saying she had been attacked despite her commitment to serve.

Speaking at the Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City during the celebration of World Pandesal Day, Duterte recalled the period when she served as concurrent Education chief, calling it a difficult time that tested her sense of duty.

“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),” Duterte said.

(It was a professional crisis when I became Vice President. I was serving in the Cabinet of President Marcos, and I wondered why I was being attacked. I wasn’t doing anything to them.)

The Vice President, who resigned as Education secretary effective July last year, said she only focused on fulfilling her responsibilities to the nation but still faced criticism and political attacks from within the administration.

“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,” she added.

(I was just doing my job—that was my commitment to the nation. But even while I was serving as Cabinet Secretary at the Department of Education and leading the Office of the Vice President, they were attacking me as the administration rolled out projects. That was the professional crisis I went through.)

‘Unjust treatment’

Duterte said it took her several months to realize her worth as a public servant and to understand that the treatment she received was unjust.

“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 said.

(It took me a while to realize my worth and value as a government official—that I didn’t deserve to be treated this way because I wasn’t doing anything wrong to the administration, to BBM, or to anyone.)

The Vice President said she ultimately decided to step down from the Cabinet post rather than tolerate the situation or ask for peace with those behind the alleged attacks.

“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 at hindi rin ako hihingi ng some sort of peace na parang huwag niyong gawin sa akin ito. Ang desisyon ko lang, aalis ako pero bahala na kayo kung anong gusto niyong gawin,” Duterte said.

(It took me a few months before I decided that what was being done to me—and to my office—was wrong. I wouldn’t endure that, and I wouldn’t beg for some sort of peace, asking them to stop. My only decision was to leave, and they can do whatever they want.)

Laptop mess probe

Duterte said internal investigations conducted by DepEd during her term uncovered cases of corruption within the agency — including the controversial laptop procurement that she stressed happened under the administration of Marcos.

She said DepEd launched its own probe into reports of irregularities in both its central and regional offices.

“Gumawa kami ng investigation sa loob ng DepEd. Isa sa mga pinagamitan ng confidential funds ay ‘yung corruption sa loob ng DepEd, hindi lang sa laptop, hindi lang sa central office, hindi lang sa regional office. ‘Pag may mga report, ipinapa-imbestigahan ‘yun,” she said.

(We conducted investigations inside DepEd. We uncovered corruption within the department, not only about the laptops, not only in the central office, but also in the regional offices. Whenever there were reports, we ordered investigations.)

She also clarified that the laptop procurement in question was not implemented during her time at DepEd, but under the current Marcos administration.

“Unfortunately, ‘yung procurement ng laptop hindi nangyari sa loob ng [aking] administration — nangyari siya sa BBM. So ang pinakapapel ng DepEd ay ‘yung agreement between DepEd and DBM,” Duterte said.

(Unfortunately, the laptop procurement didn’t happen during my administration — it happened under BBM. DepEd’s role was only the agreement between DepEd and DBM.)

Duterte said that since it was the Department of Budget and Management that handled the procurement, DepEd did not receive all related documents and could not immediately move to blacklist the contractors involved.

“Hindi pumasok lahat ng procurement documents sa DepEd, kaya ang pinapagawa lang namin ay ‘yung mag–blacklist. Pero that time, di pa namin magawa kasi wala sa amin ‘yung procurement — natali ang kamay namin,” she said.

(Not all procurement documents reached DepEd, so the only thing we could do was initiate a blacklist. But at that time, we couldn’t proceed because procurement wasn’t under us — our hands were tied.)

Duterte added that DepEd’s internal findings later aided in identifying personnel involved in the laptop deal.

“Ginamit namin ‘yung sa loob ng DepEd para isa-isahin ‘yung mga personnel involved na na under sa mga taong naimbestigahan sa Senate blue ribbon committee,” she said.

(We used DepEd’s internal findings to identify the personnel under those being investigated by the Senate blue ribbon committee.)

No direction

The Vice President went on to criticize what she described as a lack of direction from President Marcos in governance, saying he neither commands nor asks his Cabinet about their work.

“Akala mo ba si BBM nagtatrabaho? Hindi ‘yan nagtatanong ng trabaho at all (Do you think Marcos is working? He doesn’t ask about work at all),” Duterte said.

“Napapansin ninyo ba, walang direksyon ang (Have you noticed there’s no direction in) governance. He doesn’t command, he doesn’t ask,” she added.

Duterte said Filipinos were struggling to afford even basic food like pandesal.

On the occasion of World Pandesal Day in Quezon City, Duterte used the bread-themed event to deliver one of her most pointed criticisms yet of the Marcos administration, which she accused of being paranoid and allergic to accountability.

In response, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the Vice President wouldn't know the directives of the President since she does not know how to listen. 

''Hindi talaga niya malalaman ang direktiba ng Pangulo kung hindi siya marunong makinig at nagsasarili ng diskarte para sa pansariling interest,'' Castro said in a message to reporters.

(She wouldn't really know the directives of the President because she doesn't know how to listen and she's working for her own interest.)

Matatag curriculum

Duterte said that despite the attacks she faced while serving as Education secretary, she continued to focus on reforms such as the Matatag curriculum before eventually deciding to step down from the Cabinet.

“Ako na nga lang isang nagde-deliver sa Cabinet ni BBM, tapos gano’n pa ang gagawin sa akin. Nung nawala ako, wala na siyang accomplishment at all,” she said.

(I was the only one delivering in BBM’s Cabinet, and yet that’s how they treated me. After I left, he had no accomplishments at all.)

Duterte’s remarks came months after her resignation from the Department of Education, which formalized her exit from President Marcos’ Cabinet amid widening political rifts between the Marcos and Duterte families.

Since stepping down, the Vice President has made several public statements hinting at tensions within the administration while maintaining that she remains focused on the programs of the Office of the Vice President, including her ongoing tree-planting and livelihood initiatives. 

In February 2025, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte, with over one-third of lawmakers from the chamber endorsing the complaint against her.

Months later, the Supreme Court (SC) blocked the impeachment trial, ruling that the House impeachment complaint against Duterte is barred by the one-year ban rule under Article 11, Section 3(5) of the 1987 Constitution. It also ruled that the Articles of Impeachment violated her right to due process. Lawmakers, however, said they will exhaust all legal remedies available.

Included among the articles of impeachment against Duterte was bribery and corruption in the DepEd during Duterte’s tenure by handing out cash to former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado (Procurement Head), Bids and Awards Committee Member Resty Osias, DepEd Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan and Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda. — RSJ/AOL, GMA Integrated News