Sara Duterte says FL Liza’s sentiments have nothing to do with her mandate as VP

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said on Monday, April 22, she would rather focus on her work than First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ sentiments against her.

(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (Photos from VP Sara’s and FL Liza’s Facebook pages)

In a video message posted on her Facebook page, the official shrugged off the First Lady’s “personal” sentiments, stressing it has nothing to do with her mandate as the country’s second highest official.

“Mga kababayan, bilang tao, karapatan ni Unang Ginang Liza Marcos na makaramdam ng sama ng loob at galit (To my countrymen, as a person, it is the right of First Lady Liza Marcos to feel displeasure and anger),” she said.

“Subalit ang kanyang personal na damdamin ay walang kinalaman sa aking mandato bilang isang opisyal ng pamahalaan (But her personal feelings have nothing to do with my mandate as a government official),” she added.

Duterte furthered that in order to move on from the issue, she would talk privately with President Marcos for the next steps, as she also underscored the various challenges that face the country.

“Unahin natin ang Pilipinas (Let us put the Philippines first),” she stressed.

The Vice President said that focus must be on the problems that beset the country, such as the rising prices of food and other commodities and the dwindling supply of water and electricity.

She also lamented the prevalence of illegal drugs, insurgency, criminality, and terrorism.

During her interview on broadcaster Anthony Taberna’s “Tune In Kay Tunying,” the First Lady opened up about her strained relationship with the Vice President after she saw her laughing at former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug allegations against her husband.

Marcos claimed that Duterte was seen laughing after the former chief executive called her husband “bangag” during a rally in their hometown of Davao City.

The First Lady said Duterte is “bad shot” to her and that she has purposely ignored her since then.

— Raymund Antonio