VICE President Sara Duterte has publicly called on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to resign from office, marking a dramatic and final break from their once‑vaunted UniTeam alliance.
Speaking at a rally with her supporters on Friday, Duterte issued a blistering appeal, stating: “We continue to call for the departure of the problem of our nation who goes by the name of Bongbong Marcos.” She went further, shouting directly: “Resign! Step down! You are a liar! You are abusive!” — remarks that underscore the complete collapse of the partnership that swept both to power in the 2022 elections.
The Vice President’s call came shortly after her scheduled arraignment before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on three counts of grave threats was deferred upon a motion filed by her legal team. Duterte stands accused of making statements in November 2024 alleging she had ordered someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta‑Marcos, and then‑House Speaker Martin Romualdez should anything happen to her. The arraignment delay means the formal reading of charges and her entry of pleas has been rescheduled to a later date.
The escalating rhetoric signals how thoroughly the UniTeam alliance — once described as a “marriage made in heaven” — has unraveled. What began as a pragmatic political arrangement between the Marcos and Duterte families, united to win the 2022 elections, has deteriorated into open hostility. Duterte’s accusations of lying and abuse of power, delivered publicly at a rally, represent the sharpest turn yet in a relationship that has fractured over confidential funds, impeachment proceedings, and now criminal charges.
With the Vice President facing criminal prosecution and an impeachment trial, and the President now the target of her calls to step down, the rift between the country’s two highest officials has widened beyond repair. The public demands for Marcos’ resignation, made in the heat of her own legal proceedings, place the political future of the administration in unprecedented uncertainty and deepen the polarization of national politics.
metrosundaily
