VICE President Sara Z. Duterte “should be the last person” to call for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s resignation because she stands to succeed him, House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur said Thursday.
Alonto Adiong was responding to Duterte spokesperson Paolo Panelo, who said the Vice President was ready to assume the presidency should Marcos resign and rejected claims that her call for him to step down posed a conflict of interest.
“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,” Alonto Adiong said at a press briefing.
“Ayaw nilang pinupulitika itong mga issue na ’to, sila ’yung unang-unang namumulitika,” he added.
Duterte last week called on President Marcos to resign, accusing his administration of corruption, abuse and political harassment.
Panelo defended Duterte’s call, saying she was elected precisely to succeed the President should he resign and that her position was neither self-serving nor a conflict of interest.
Alonto Adiong countered that the issue was also one of propriety because Duterte would be the direct beneficiary of a vacancy in the presidency.
“Very clear naman po who stands to benefit pag nag-resign ang Presidente. Diretso po ang Vice President, being the next in line to succeed if there’s a vacancy in the Office of the President,” he said.
“So I think it’s on a level of propriety lamang. Propriety lamang,” he added.
Alonto Adiong said Duterte should therefore not be leading calls for the President to step down.
“Dapat hindi siya ’yung nangunguna na humingi ng pagbibitiw ng Presidente,” he said.
“So klaro naman po ’yon. May conflict of interest. Why would you push for something that actually, if the effect is that you will be benefiting from it?” he added.
Under Article VII, Section 8 of the Constitution, the Vice President becomes President for the remainder of the term in case of the President’s death, permanent disability, removal from office or resignation.
“That is her position, but unfortunately many of our kababayan do not share that position,” Alonto Adiong said.
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