Pulong Duterte says Marcos owes 2022 win to VP Sara, Palace hits back

Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte said Monday President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. won in the 2022 presidential race because of his running mate and now Vice President Sara Duterte.

"Tungkol sa sinabi mong wala kang regrets sa pagtakbo kasama si Vice President Sara Duterte—tama ka diyan. Wala ka talagang dapat pagsisihan. Because the truth is simple—without Sara Duterte, you would not have won by the margin that you did," Duterte said.

(When you said you don't have regrets running along with Vice President Sara Duterte, you are right. You have nothing to regret.)

Then Davao City mayor Sara Duterte served as the running mate of then former senator Marcos during the 2022 polls.

"The UniTeam coalition delivered votes from north to south. History will always show that your victory was built not on the Marcos name, but on the trust and support commanded by Vice President Sara Duterte," Pulong Duterte added.

Malacañang, in response, said that the 2022 victory could not only be attributed to Sara Duterte as both she and Marcos ran under the UniTeam banner, campaigning for unity.

“UniTeam sila. Hindi mo pwedeng sabihin na ito ay dahil lamang kay Pangulong Marcos Jr. o dahil lamang kay Bise Presidente. UniTeam, ibig sabihin nagkaisa sila,” Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

(They are UniTeam. You can't say it's just because of President Marcos Jr. or just because of the Vice President. It was UniTeam, meaning they were united.)

“Ngayon, bakit ibinibigay lamang sa Pangulo ang mandato? Eh Pangulo po siya eh. Pangalawa, sino po ba nagtatrabaho at sino po ba nagbabakasyon? Sino ang tuloy-tuloy na nag-aaruga sa ating mga kababayan at sino rin ba yung tuloy-tuloy na wala sa bansa?” Castro added.

(Now, why is the mandate only given to the President? Because he is the President. Second, who is working and who goes on vacation? Who is constantly taking care of our countrymen and who is constantly absent from the country?)

The President earlier said that he is worried that the Vice President, in the event that she succeeds him, might undo his legacy.

Marcos received 31 million votes in the 2022 polls while Sara Duterte got 32 million votes.

Congressman Duterte, however, said that the President does not have the monopoly of the mandate given by the people, and has no legacy to begin with.

"Nakakapagtataka na ngayon ay parang gusto mong palabasing ikaw lang ang may ambag sa mandato na ibinigay ng taumbayan. Instead of worrying about who might "undo" your legacy, perhaps the bigger question is whether there is a legacy that Filipinos can genuinely point to beyond speeches, slogans, and photo opportunities," he said.

(It is puzzling that you are making it appear as if you earned your mandate yourself.)

"Mr. Bangag, dahil ikaw mismo ang nagsalita na parang napakarami mong naitayong "reforms" na maaaring sirain ng iba, kailangan ding may magtanong: ano ba talaga ang mga repormang iyon?" he said.

(Mr. crazy, since you are talking about reforms under your watch that could be undone, what are these reforms, really?)

"Malapit na naman ang SONA mo. Baka puwede mong isa-isahin nang malinaw ang mga nagawa mo na ramdam ng ordinaryong Pilipino. Hindi iyong puro English buzzwords, bagong slogans, at scripted applause mula sa mga kongresistang nakapila para mag-standing ovation. Ang gusto marinig ng tao ay resulta, hindi production number," he added, referring to the State of the Nation Address of the President set on the fourth Monday of July.

(Your SONA is forthcoming. Maybe you should outline the government programs that you did to alleviate the plight of the Filipinos, not those buzzwords, slogans or scripted standing ovation. We need results, not production number.)

Living in the dark?

Malacañang hit back at the congressman, saying that he is seemingly living in the dark and in his own imagination for saying such.

Castro further advised Pulong Duterte to fire his ghostwriter or PR man, if ever he had someone write the statement, because he was “ill-advised.”

“Bakit kailangan pang hintayin ang SONA? Samantalang kung manunood lamang siya ng press briefing makikita niya kung ano ang ginagawa ng Pangulo,” she said.

(Why wait for the SONA? If he just watches the press briefings, he could see what the President is doing.)

“Mas maganda po sana manood siya ng press briefing, mga news, mainstream, state-owned media. Lumalabas po kasi na hindi siya updated, hindi nagbabasa, hindi nanonood ng news. Nakakaawa naman. Nabubuhay sa dilim, nabubuhay sa fake news, nabubuhay sa sariling imahinasyon,” she added.

(It would be better if he watched press briefings, news, mainstream, state-owned media. Because it seems that he is not updated, does not read, does not watch the news. It is pitiful. He seems to be living in the dark, living in fake news, living in his own imagination.) —AOL, GMA News