VIENTIANE – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. shared on Friday why he didn’t choose Vice President Sara Duterte to take care of the country while he attends the ASEAN Summit in Laos.
During a talk with Philippine reporters, Marcos said it was because Duterte is no longer part of his administration. He mentioned that it wouldn’t be fair to ask her to take on this responsibility.
“She’s still in the government, but she left our administration. So, she’s not involved in the day-to-day activities of our work,” Marcos explained. “It would be unfair to suddenly give her this duty since it’s not part of what she’s doing now.”
Marcos emphasized that this decision doesn’t mean there is a problem between him and Duterte. “No, it’s just a practical reason. That’s how I came to that conclusion. If you look at the members of the executive committee, they are all still part of the Cabinet,” he said.
While Marcos is away, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III will take care of things.
Marcos also mentioned that he felt tricked when Duterte said they were never friends.
