Vice President Sara says no to Cabinet post? OK, says President Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday said he respects the decision of Vice President Sara Duterte not to accept another Cabinet post under his administration.

“OK. I don’t need to react. That’s her decision,” Marcos told reporters on the sidelines of the distribution of financial assistance to El Niño-hit farmers and fisherfolk in Apayao. 

Duterte resigned as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict on June 19. 

Sonny Angara, who tendered his resignation as a member of the Senate on Thursday, took over the DepEd leadership during turnover ceremonies at the agency’s central office in Pasig City on the same day.

In a media interview following the event, the Vice President said she no longer has any interest in serving in Marcos’ Cabinet “in other capacities.”

Asked whether her resignation had something to do with her spat with First Lady Liza Marcos, Duterte said: “No, the First Lady had nothing to do with this as she has nothing to do with my and President Marcos’ jobs.”

The First Lady revealed in April that she had come to view Duterte negatively because the Vice President laughed when her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, called Marcos bangag or high on drugs during a rally in Davao City.The Vice President revealed that her reason for leaving the post was personal and political.

“It’s a long story. We need a sit-down for the reasons. There’s a personal (element) between me and President Marcos which stems from our agreement before I agreed to run as his Vice President.

There’s an element involving work and one involving the nation,” Duterte said in Filipino, without elaborating.The President, in a previous interview, said Duterte did not say why she quit her post.

Duterte’s resignation came amid souring relationship between her family and the Marcoses.

While she is no longer part of the Cabinet, the Vice President had said she maintains a “friendly” personal relationship with the President.