Nueva Ecija Rep. Ria Vergara —Photo from a House of Representatives video
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte should take a leaf out of his predecessor’s book when it comes to respecting incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Nueva Ecija 3rd District Rep. Ria Vergara said on Tuesday.
During a manifestation at the House of Representatives Quinta committee hearing, Vergara said that the late former President Benigno Aquino III remained silent even whatever he felt about Duterte’s policies — an act that Duterte can emulate.
“But just as the previous late President Aquino stepped out of the public scene, and out of delicadeza, didn’t say anything to question the Duterte policies on its direction on the drug war […] And that now you are no longer president, Mr. President Duterte. When you wielded great power during your six years, just as former presidents didn’t interfere, I pray you do the same,” Vergara said.
According to Vergara, Aquino remained mum even if he had all the right to speak when Duterte and his allies attacked government officials close to the late statesman, like then-Sen. Leila de Lima and then-Vice President Leni Robredo.
“President Aquino stood helplessly as a full force of the Duterte administration accused, detained, and jailed then-Sen. Leila de Lima, who has now been exonerated by our courts,” Vergara said.
“Former President Aquino kept his opinions to himself even as our former President Duterte verbally attacked VP Leni, wishing her death — ‘mamatay ka na’ — referring to her as a colossal blunder. So many statements unbecoming of a duly elected president to an elected vice president,” she added.
Aquino was not as visible as Duterte after stepping down from Malacañang in 2016, but there were instances when Aquino criticized his successor.
In 2019, Aquino asked Duterte why he appointed Robredo as the drug czar if he did not even trust the vice president — noting that appointees were usually people whom a president believed could get the job done.
Duterte appointed Robredo as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs after the vice president criticized the government’s brutal war on drugs. However, Robredo was removed from the post just after 18 days.
Aquino also criticized Duterte’s drug war, but he did this occasionally.
READ: Duterte hits back at Aquino for criticism on drug war
With these in mind, Vergara made an appeal to Duterte:
“So I appeal to our former president, a man I respect — I respect you, and I recognize all you have done for me personally, and I am grateful, as my family and the people I served — please do not divide our country. Rise above personal political agendas,” Vergara said.
“As a former president, one of those who has stepped down from office with the highest approval ratings, please give President Marcos a chance without being threatened. Please do unto others as others have done to you. This, Mr. Former President, is the golden rule,” she added.
Earlier, Vergara also called out Duterte for asking the military to safeguard the Constitution and rethink their support of the current administration, as such insinuations would only benefit his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
Vergara said former President Duterte should be more mindful of his statements as it would bear weight, given his former post.
Duterte mentioned the military in a press briefing on Monday night, challenging the defense institution as to whether they could continue protecting the Constitution even if Marcos was supposedly a drug user.
The former president said this after the controversy surrounding his daughter, Vice President Duterte, which started after she visited her chief of staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez.
Lopez was detained at the House premises after the committee on good government and public accountability cited her for contempt for undue interference in the committee hearings.
After visiting Lopez by Thursday night, Vice President Duterte locked herself inside the office of her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte. Eventually, the committee decided to transfer Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Women — a move that the vice president opposed, calling it an abuse of discretion.
Duterte then went live, cussing out President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. The vice president also claimed that she had talked to a contract killer about assassinating the three if she would get killed.
READ: Sara Duterte’s kill remark vs Marcos is ‘active threat’ – Palace
Romualdez and Marcos have called out Vice President Duterte over these statements, with the speaker saying that these were a threat to the country’s democracy, noting that violence should not have a place in society.
Romualdez also warned Duterte that no amount of noise could drown out the truth, as he accused her of diverting the public’s attention from issues faced by her office.