Palace questions VP Sara’s capability to lead Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang questioned the capability of Vice President Sara Duterte to lead the country after her camp claimed she is ready to succeed President Marcos.

“Is that the reason why they are asking the President to resign immediately?” Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a media briefing yesterday. “That is normal and natural for allies of the Vice President, but whether she can succeed President Marcos, is this serious?”

Castro reiterated that demanding the resignation of Marcos without legal basis is “absolutely delusional,” as she assailed the statement of Paolo Panelo, the Vice President’s spokesman, that she is difficult to take seriously.

According to Castro, the remark was an admission that the Duterte camp is not listening to her statements about the programs and plans of the administration.

“Perhaps that is the reason why the Vice President seems to be clueless about the things that the administration is doing for our people. She always claims that nothing is being done. That is the reason: No time to listen, no time to watch and no time to listen seriously to what is being said, especially here in the briefings,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, one of the impeachment spokespersons, said Duterte should be the last person to call for Marcos’ resignation, amid alleged irregularities in government, out of delicadeza because she stands to benefit from it.

“I think for someone who has already indicated her desire to run for the presidency, I think she should be the last person to ask the sitting President to resign because that is entirely a political stand,” Adiong said.

“They don’t want the issues politicized and yet they’re the first ones politicizing everything,” he added.

During her postponed arraignment in a Quezon City court for charges of grave threats against the First Couple and former speaker Martin Romualdez last week, Duterte urged Marcos to resign, accusing his administration of corruption, abuse and political harassment.

Adiong said the issue is one of propriety because Duterte would be the direct beneficiary of a vacancy in the presidency.

“It is very, very clear who stands to benefit if the President steps down from office. It would of course be the VP, being the next in line to succeed if there’s a vacancy in the Office of the President,” Adiong said, adding that Duterte should not be leading calls for the President to step down. — Delon Porcalla