FILE PHOTO: First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (left) and Vice Pres. Sara Duterte (right). INQUIRER FILES/INDAY SARA DUTERTE FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines — First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ ill feelings towards Vice President Sara Duterte are more than just personal matters, noting that it is crucial to the second-highest elecyed official’s standing in the administration, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said on Monday.
Chua, in a statement on Monday also said that this is now a question on Duterte’s character and integrity.
Duterte, in a video message earlier, addressed the First Lady’s criticisms supposedly borne out of the Vice President’s attendance in a rally where President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. was called an ‘addict’.
According to Duterte, she prefers to discuss the issue with the President privately.
“First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ feelings toward Vice President Sara Duterte are about Sara’s character and integrity as a supposed member of the administration and as a public servant,” Chua said.
“In public service, character and integrity are everything, so those feelings of the First Lady are NOT mere personal matters that can be cast aside as if they had no weight nor importance. The Vice President’s character and integrity are now in serious question,” he added.
Chua also wondered how Duterte can serve rightfully if she cannot support the President wholeheartedly
“Paano mapaglingkuran ni VP Sara nang tapat ang taumbayan kung ang dapat na katuwang niya, ang Pangulo, hindi niya masuportahan nang buong katapatan?” he asked.
(How can VP Sara honestly serve the people when she cannot support the President, wholeheartedly?)
Araneta-Marcos admitted in an exclusive interview with Tune-in Kay Tunying that she has been snubbing Vice President Duterte following her attendance at the prayer rally in Davao.
Duterte’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, was the one who called Marcos a ‘drug addict’.
A day after, the Chief Executive shot back by saying that it might be the effects of fentanyl that is making the older Duterte make such statements.
The prayer rally in Davao was held alongside the Bagong Pilipinas launch in Manila. During the program, Vice President Duterte’s brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, also called on Marcos to resign if he does not have any aspirations for the country.
According to Araneta-Marcos, she felt hurt when the Vice President supposedly laughed at the former president’s attacks against Marcos.
Marcos and Duterte ran together in the 2022 national elections, under the “Uniteam” slate.