Presidential Communications Office Speaks on Vice Pres. Sara Duterte while Pres. Bongbong Marcos is in Lao PDR
SARA DUTERTE – The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that the Vice President is not the caretaker of the Philippines while President Bongbong Marcos is away.
Based on the heirarchy of the positions in the Philippine government, countless people expect that it is under the mandate of the vice president to take over the responsibilities of the president when the chief executive is away. However, the recent announcement of the Presidential Communications Office confused a lot of people.
It is no secret to the public that the relationship between the President and the Vice President has turned sour. In an interview, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that she and Pres. Bongbong Marcos did not start as friends. Duterte said she will never team up with the Marcoses again.
Currently, Pres. Bongbong Marcos is in Lao PDR for the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. Amid the Chief Executive being away from the Philippines, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is not the caretaker of the country according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
Based on a report on GMA News, speaking to the Palace media, PCO Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez said that Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla are the caretakers of the Philippines while the President is away.
The recent announcement is contrary what it has always been when the Vice President was the caretaker of the Philippines when the President is away. As of this writing, Duterte has not reacted to the statement.
Over a month ago, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte apologized to the members of the KOJC for seeking their support for Pres. Bongbong Marcos in 2022. They were running mates. The intensified search operations of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to find Pastor Apollo Quiboloy were done under the Marcos administration.
According to Vice Pres. Duterte, she and Pres. Marcos only became close to each other when they were running mates in the 2022 Elections and they were not friends. The Vice President is friends with the Chief Executive’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos.
A few months ago, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte left the cabinet of Pres. Bongbong Marcos. She also declared that she will never serve in any position in the Marcos cabinet.