Manila: Malaca±ang on Thursday questioned the seriousness of Vice President Sara Duterte's camp after her spokesperson said she was ready to assume the presidency should President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. resign. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the remark in response to a report that lawyer Paolo Panelo, Duterte's spokesperson, said the Vice President was prepared to replace Marcos if he stepped down.
According to Philippines News Agency, Castro questioned whether the Vice President's camp was serious about the prospect of her assuming the presidency. 'Kaya ba nila agad-agad na pinag-re-resign ang Pangulo (Is that why they are calling for the President's immediate resignation)?' Castro said in a Palace briefing. She further expressed skepticism about the call, describing it as 'absolutely delusional.'
The exchange comes as Duterte faces separate legal and political proceedings, including an impeachment case before the Senate and a criminal case involving three counts of grave threats. This backdrop has fueled speculations and discussions about the political dynamics between President Marcos and Vice President Duterte.
In response to Panelo's statement that Castro was 'difficult to take seriously' and that Duterte's camp was not focused on answering her statements, Castro emphasized the significance of Palace briefings. She stated that these briefings cover not only questions raised by reporters but also government programs, accomplishments, and plans under the Marcos administration.
Castro added, 'Ngayon natin nakita, may pag-amin na hindi sila nakikinig sa ating sinasabi kaya marahil ito ang dahilan kung bakit ang Bise Presidente ay nagmumukhang clueless, walang alam sa anong ginagawa ng administrasyon para sa ating mga kababayan (We have now seen an admission that they do not listen to what we say, perhaps this is the reason why the Vice President appears clueless and unaware of what the administration is doing for our fellow citizens).'
When asked directly about Panelo's remark that she was difficult to take seriously, Castro invited the public to judge the tone of the statement for themselves. 'Kayo mag-isip: may paggalang ba o walang paggalang? Nasa attitude, nasa character. Magandang salita pero sa kaila-ilaliman niyan mababasa ninyo kung ano ang nilalaman (You be the judge: is there respect or not? It comes down to attitude and character. They may be fine words, but deep down, you can discern their true meaning),' she said.
