Duterte’s call for military to act may only benefit VP Sara – solon

Rodrigo Duterte — GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte should “rise above his interests” as his call for the military to safeguard the constitution and rethink their support for the Marcos administration may only benefit his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

In her manifestation at a House of Representatives committee hearing on Tuesday, Nueva Ecija 3rd District Rep. Ria Vergara asked the former president to be more mindful of his statements as they bear weight, given his former position.

Former President Duterte told the military to rethink their stand on supporting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a press briefing on Monday night, which happened after Vice President Duterte’s stay at the House premises on Thursday and Friday gained controversy.

“While you say it is every Filipino’s right to speak freely, you sir are a former president and your words bear weight because of the office you once held. And for the sake of our nation, please exercise your right to free speech with great care,” Vergara said during the first hearing of the House quinta panel, or the super committee on cheaper food.

“I know VP Duterte is more than capable of handling the House investigation into the DepEd funds, she is your daughter. But who will benefit should your call for the military to rethink their support to our President, materialize? Please rise above your interests,” she added.

According to Vergara, she respects former President Duterte, but his statements have wide-reaching effects, including on the government’s bid for cheaper and more accessible food.

“During this time of geopolitical tensions, especially in our relations with China, with [Russian] President Putin threatening to bring the war in Ukraine to a global scale, in our country we have been hit not once but more than four times of massive typhoons … all these disruptions happening are out of our control. But how we respond, this we can control,” she said.

“I was personally disheartened, disappointed, and frustrated watching our former President’s press con last night — a man I respect — for calling on the military to rethink their stand on supporting President Marcos, our commander-in-chief, because he claims our President is a ‘drug addict.’ These are careles and unfounded dangerous statements that are meant to destabilize and divert our country’s attention,” she added.

In his briefing, Duterte asked the military if they could continue protecting Marcos even if he is supposedly a drug user.

“The challenge is to the military itself, the whole of the military, because they are supposed to be the protectors of the constitution. Now tell me, if they are protectors of the Constitution, are they willing to still protect the President, who is a drug addict, for another four years?” he asked.

“And if they say they do not know, let us not kid each other. You knew that back then, you know it now. Just tell us if that’s the case, we will just tell children in the Philippines, guys, follow the President, start smoking marijuana,” he added.

Duterte’s statements came after the controversy surrounding his daughter started after she visited her chief of staff Zuleika Lopez, who was detained at the House premises after the committee on good government and public accountability cited her for contempt.

After visiting Lopez on Thursday which lasted up to 10:00 p.m., Duterte locked herself inside the office of her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte.

Eventually, lawmakers decided to transfer Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Women — a move that Vice President Duterte opposed, calling it an abuse of discretion.

Duterte then went live, cussing out Marcos and his wife and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.  The Vice President also claimed that she has talked to a killer about assassinating the three if she gets 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 are a threat to the country’s democracy and that violence does not have a place in this society.

Romualdez also warned Duterte that no amount of noise can drown out the truth, as he accused her of diverting the public’s attention from issues faced by her office.

READ: Romualdez hits VP’s grim remark: A threat to democracy, nat’l security