Sara Duterte resigns as DepEd secretary, says Palace

Vice President Sara Duterte (File photo from the official Facebook page of Inday Sara Duterte)

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has resigned as the Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, said the Palace on Wednesday.

In a statement to reporters, the Palace said Duterte did not disclose the reason for her resignation.

Duterte also resigned from her position as the vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).

“At 2:21 pm of 19 June 2024, Vice President Sara Duterte went to Malacanang and tendered her resignation as Member of the Cabinet, Secretary of the Department of Education and Vice Chairperson of the NTF-Elcac, effective 19 July 2024,” said the Palace.

“She declined to give a reason why. She will continue to serve as vice president,” noted Malacañang.

Duterte has been noticeably absent from the events of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the past weeks, failing to attend his departure ceremonies to Singapore and Brunei.

She also did not attend various law-signing ceremonies in Malacañang, including a law that granted additional allowances to teachers.

Duterte’s apparent falling out with members of Marcos’ administration did not begin there.

READ: After losing confidential funds, Sara Duterte says ‘now is not the time for politicking’

In 2023, lawmakers stripped Duterte of her proposed funds. After which, Duterte said it was no time for politicking.

By 2024, members of the Duterte clan began throwing punches at Marcos.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte in January publicly called upon the president to resign if he did not have love for his country.

READ: Marcos shoots back: Ex-president Duterte takes fentanyl

Escalating from mere calls of resignation, the clan’s patriarch and Marcos’ predecessor Rodridgo Duterte accused the president of using illegal drugs.

Marcos fired back, saying Rodrigo Duterte was on fentanyl.

First Lady Liza-Araneta Marcos admits snubbing Sara Duterte: ‘Bad shot na ’yan sa akin.’

(She is already a bad shot to me.)

By April, even the first lady was hitting the vice president, calling Sara Duterte out for allowing her family to hurl accusations against the president.

Beyond cracks within the administration, Sara Duterte faced external criticisms on multiple issues.

READ: Solon to VP Duterte: Show some decency by resigning from DepEd

Sara Duterte has been criticized for her alleged lack of expertise as an educator handling DepEd, as well as her silence on China’s maritime aggression in the West Philippine Sea.