VICE President Sara Duterte said she wants the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to run its full course, noting she has no intention of overthrowing the government.
"Carrying out extra-constitutional means to overthrow the current administration is not in my hands; and I don't want that either. I don't want to snatch Bongbong Marcos' position. I want the public to see, all the way to the very end, just how shameless Marcos is," Duterte said on the sidelines of the Independence Day celebrations in Davao City on Friday.
Duterte was reacting to reports of supposed calls by some retired military officers for her to lead a people's power protest to topple the current administration.
Duterte said that while she is the constitutional successor of Marcos, she stressed that she swore to preserve and defend the Constitution.
Duterte said the Philippines may lose its freedom and sovereignty not just to foreign invaders, but also to government officials, including Marcos, who steal money like mobsters.
In an earlier statement, Duterte accused the Marcos administration of protecting power rather than serving the people by removing any form of opposition against the government.
"We see how government institutions and the people's money are being used against any form of opposition. Instead of focusing on the real problems faced by our fellow citizens, power is being used to silence the voices of dissent," Duterte said.
The two ran together as the UniTeam in the 2022 elections, but the partnership collapsed in 2024 after Duterte resigned as Education Secretary.
