Senator Imee Marcos on January 30, 2024.The STAR / Jesse Bustos

MANILA, Philippines —  Sen. Imee Marcos has vowed to stand by Vice President Sara Duterte despite her quitting the Cabinet of President Marcos, the senator’s brother.

“My trust and confidence in our friendship and in your kindness and integrity remain the same,” Senator Marcos said in Filipino on Wednesday.

“I am with you in every step of the way in this fight for the country,” she added.

For his part, Sen. Bong Go thanked Duterte for her service in her short stint as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary.

“There is always a time for everything. This is the time to prioritize the people’s welfare,” Go said in Filipino.

Meanwhile, former president and former House senior deputy speaker Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo distanced herself from any issues surrounding the Vice President’s resignation from her Cabinet posts.

“I understand the Vice President did not give a reason for resigning from the Cabinet. Thus, I am not in a position to give a statement,” said Arroyo, a close friend and political ally of Duterte.

Beginning of everything

The resignation of Vice President Duterte as DepEd secretary and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict signals the start of a full-blown ‘war’ with the Marcos administration, according to former presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

“This signals the beginning of everything,” said Roque.

Before the Vice President quit the Cabinet, there were already hints of her stepping down. Duterte was even expected to tender her resignation from her Cabinet posts last June 8, sources said. She deferred the date to June 19 when she went to Malacañang and made clear her resignation before President Marcos himself.

The Vice President hinted of cracks in the relationship with the Marcos administration when she earlier said there is no longer a UniTeam with Marcos, as it was only good during the 2022 elections when they were still candidates.

She even naughtily quipped that one should remain beautiful and be able to wear two-piece when oppressed.

Various groups supporting the Vice President were said to have also prepared for what will happen after her resignation effective July 19.

But Duterte gave assurance that she will still look after the concerns of the education sector even if she is no longer DepEd secretary.

The Vice President is still expected to grace certain functions as head of the education department between now and July 19.

Supporters have been waiting

Supporters of Vice President Duterte have been waiting for her resignation from the Cabinet amid the drop in the popularity and trust rating of President Marcos, former chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo said on Thursday.

“The resignation was not surprising. In fact, those who support and love her have been expecting this,” said Panelo, who served as chief legal counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“They (supporters) felt that it’s time for Inday Sara to resign as she is affected by the drop in the popularity and trust rating of the administration of President Marcos,” Panelo added.

“Many have expressed their discontentment on the administration amid its failure to address various problems being faced by the country. They really felt it’s time for Inday Sara to leave (the Cabinet),” he said.

Panelo said that the environment has become uncomfortable for Vice President Duterte. “It becomes hostile for her that she needs to free herself so that she will be able to fully express herself on everything she wants to tell the Filipino people on what’s happening in our country,” he said.

Panelo added that Duterte will remain to perform her functions as vice president despite her resignation from the Cabinet.

‘Hired vloggers’

Former president Duterte and his “hired vloggers” should be blamed for the resignation of Sara from the Marcos Cabinet, presidential adviser on poverty alleviation Larry Gadon said yesterday.

Gadon, however, defended the Vice President against criticism by some netizens that she resigned due to her alleged incompetence.

“Her resignation from the Marcos Cabinet was a welcome development,” he said.

Gadon pointed out that “the duty of the Vice President is to assist President Marcos and to perform other functions that may be assigned to her by the Chief Executive.”

“How could she do that when her father and his vlogger-supporters were calling the President as a drug user in their funded rallies,” Gadon said.

Political tension

For former Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Greco Belgica, it was the political tension between the Duterte family and the Marcos administration that led to her resignation.

In a message to The STAR, Belgica said that the House of Representatives also cut the budget for the DepEd that were intended for the programs of the agency.

“This (budget cut) will anger the teachers and students and will reflect on the Vice President,” Belgica said, and it “only shows that the 1987 Constitution granted so much power to the president and Congress, as they can control the budget of officials who are not considered as allies.”

“That’s the power which should be removed or lessen as often it is abused,” he said, adding that it justifies the need to amend the present Constitution through constitutional convention (con-con).

According to Belgica, under a federal form of government, the budget of an agency will not be affected despite the differences of national officials.

“We are respectfully including Vice President Sara on the list (of proposed con-con delegates), together with the group of President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, former vice president Leni Robredo and other factions,” he added. –  Edith Regalado, Bella Cariaso