Sara Duterte: I don't want to overthrow Marcos admin

Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday said that she has no intention of overthrowing the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., stressing she took an oath to preserve and defend the Constitution.

“Wala sa aking mga kamay ang pagsasagawa ng extra constitutional means to overthrow the current administration. At hindi ko din gusto ‘yun. Hindi ko gusto agawin ‘yung posisyon ni Bongbong Marcos,” she said in an interview in Davao City.

(So it is not in my hands to carry out extra constitutional means to overthrow the current administration. And I don't want that either. I don't want to take over the position of Bongbong Marcos.)

Duterte, meanwhile, explained why she has been critical about the current administration.

“Gusto ko makita ng taong bayan hanggang sa dulo kung gaano ka walang hiya si BBM,” she added.

(I want the people to see to the end how shameless BBM is.)

In response, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro disputed Duterte's statement that she was not interested in ousting Marcos.

"Noon pa niya nais patalsikin ang Pangulo sa pwesto at sinabi niya ito sa isang speech niya sa Netherlands noong July 19, 2025 na 'tayong lahat gusto natin mapalayas si BBM sa pwesto.' Hindi niya makakaila nang sabihin niya ito," Castro said in a statement.

(She has long sought the President’s removal from office and even said so during a speech in the Netherlands on July 19, 2025, declaring that “all of us want BBM removed from office.” She cannot deny making that statement.)

"Huwag magpakaplastik at magbait-baitan. Huwag na siyang magkunwari dahil ang mga kaalyado niya ang nagpupursige sa isang destabilization. Kung ayaw niya talaga siya ang pipigil sa mga kaalyado niya sa paghahasik ng lagim," she added.

(She should stop portraying herself as innocent. She should no longer pretend otherwise, as it is her allies who are pursuing destabilization efforts. If she genuinely opposes such actions, she should be the one preventing her allies from creating disorder and instability.)

Castro also said the term “shameless” better describes the Duterte family.

"Ang Bise Presidente kapag walang script na binabasa, walang modo. Lumalabas ang totoong anyo. Ang salitang WH [walang hiya] ay tamang description hindi sa Pangulong Marcos Jr. kundi sa mga alam nating murderer, may mga assassin na kinomomisyon para pumatay ng kalaban, sa mga nanakot ng mga tao sa bar, at sa mga gumagawa ng fake news laban sa iba para palitawing sila ang tama at makabayan. Sa salitang WH ay lumalabas na nilalarawan ni Bise Presidente ang pamilya nila," she said.

(The Vice President shows lack of decorum when she is not reading from a prepared script. Her true character comes out. The term “WH” (short for walang hiya or “shameless”) is not an appropriate description of President Marcos Jr., but rather of those whom we know to be murderers, those who allegedly commissioned assassins to kill their rivals, those who intimidated people in bars, and those who spread fake news about others to make themselves appear right and patriotic. By using the term “WH,” the Vice President appears to be describing her own family.)

In her 128th Independence Day message, Duterte also told the public that Philippine sovereignty could be lost not only to foreign invaders but also every time public service becomes a private enterprise.

“Ang kalayaan natin at ang soberanya natin, hindi siya nawawala sa mga foreign invaders lamang. Hindi siya sa pagsakop lamang ng mga foreign invaders. Nawawala din siya kapag ‘yung mga matataas na opisyal ng ating pamahalaan, kasama na ang Pangulo, ay mala sindikato sa pagnanakaw ng pera ng bayan,” she said.

(Our freedom and our sovereignty could not only be lost only to foreign invaders. It could also be lost when the high officials of our government, including the President, is like a syndicate stealing the people's money.)

“Every peso that is stolen is pagkawala ng dignidad ng bawat (is a loss to the dignity of the) people,” she continued.

Duterte also emphasized that corruption is not merely just about stealing money, as it also steals opportunity, dignity, hope, and even freedom.

The House of Representatives, meanwhile, has impeached Duterte for the second straight year on allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes. —VAL/VBL, GMA News