First lady bares beef with Sara for laughing at ‘addict’ claim

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos —FILE PHOTO; Vice Pres. Sara Duterte —PHOTO FROM INDAY SARA DUTERTE FB PAGE

First lady Liza Araneta Marcos said she felt hurt on her husband’s behalf when Vice President Sara Duterte was reportedly seen laughing as former President Rodrigo Duterte called President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a drug addict on stage during a rally in Davao City in January.

“You went to a rally where your President was called a drug addict, then you’re going to laugh? Is that the right thing to do? Even Leni never did that,” she said, referring to former Vice President Leni Robredo, who had strained ties with the former president.

READ: Marcos on his relationship with Duterte clan: ‘It’s complicated’

Marcos’ wife made the statement in an exclusive interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna, a teaser of which circulated on social media ahead of its scheduled airing on Thursday night.

It was the first time that a member of the first family had aired any grievance in public against the Vice President since the “UniTeam” won the elections two years ago.

Araneta-Marcos’ statements also appeared to confirm speculations about the widening cracks in the political coalition between the Marcos and Duterte families.

‘Supposed to rise together’

In the video, Araneta-Marcos said it was not appropriate for the younger Duterte to laugh at her father’s remarks against Marcos.

She went on, addressing the Vice President: “I mean, for me, I was hurt because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, right? You’re supposed to rise together.”

READ: Marcos laughs off drug claims: I won’t even dignify the question

The event Araneta-Marcos was referring to appeared to be the anti-Charter change rally in Duterte’s home city on Jan. 28, which was timed to coincide with the Marcos administration’s launch of the Bagong Pilipinas campaign at Rizal Park in Manila.

The younger Duterte appeared in both events, though she was already in Davao by the time the President took the stage in Manila.

At the Davao rally, Duterte’s father called Marcos “bangag” (under the influence) and alleged that he was on the watch list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency—a claim that the agency later denied.

The Inquirer, however, could not independently confirm whether Duterte had indeed laughed at her father’s claim based on videos taken during the event, as available footage on the former president’s social media pages did not show her during that part of the speech.

A day after the event, the Chief Executive responded by remarking that his predecessor’s dependence on fentanyl must be affecting him.

Hope for reconciliation

In the interview, Araneta-Marcos said she was “always kind” to Duterte, her husband’s running mate in the 2022 presidential elections.

“Bad shot na ’yan sa akin (She’s now on my bad side),” Araneta-Marcos said when asked if there was any hope of reconciliation between her and Duterte.

Taberna’s interview with the first lady had not yet been aired or uploaded on his social media channels at press time.

The Inquirer reached out to the Office of the Vice President to seek her comment on Araneta-Marcos’ remarks in the teaser video, but there was no immediate response.

Recent videos of departure ceremonies for the President’s foreign trips showed the first lady apparently giving Duterte the silent treatment or ignoring her.

Ad hominem attacks

The elder Duterte has criticized his successor several times since the January rally, even calling him a “crybaby” for going to the United States amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea.

But each time, Marcos refused to be provoked.

During his visit to Washington earlier this month, Marcos said the former president’s ad hominem attacks against him had no place in the “very important and very precarious discussions” with the country’s allies.

Last Monday, the President described his relationship with the Dutertes as “complicated,” but said his working relationship with the Vice President “hasn’t really changed.” —WITH A REPORT FROM DEMPSEY REYES