VP Duterte says she hasn’t spoken to Marcos about next elections

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday said she hasn’t discussed her plans for the next elections yet with President Ferdinand Marcos.

Duterte made the statement in response to Marcos’ pronouncement that she was “likely testing the waters” in her declaration that she would run in the next elections.

“Hindi pa po kami nagkakausap ni President Marcos tungkol sa susunod na eleksyon,” said Duterte in a chance interview.

(I have not yet spoken with President Marcos regarding the upcoming election.)

Duterte previously declared that she will run for office “in the next elections” in a speech in Davao on Monday.

But in the same ambush interview, Duterte claimed that there was merely “confusion” about her speech.

She explained that the public interpreted her statement in a way they wished to comprehend.

“I think ‘yung confusion is piecemeal ang appreciation ng mga tao doon sa sinabi ko,” Duterte explained.

(I believe the confusion stems from people there having a fragmented appreciation of what I said.)

“Ibig sabihin, tinatanggal nila ang isang linya para sabihin kung ano ang gusto nila na interpretation,” she added.

(It means they are omitting a line to convey the interpretation they prefer.)

Duterte did not explicitly state her political plans this time but clarified that she did not say she would resign from her position as Vice President and education secretary.