VP Sara: 'I will not attend SONA'

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday said she will not attend President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr's third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.

“No, I will not attend the SONA," Duterte told reporters during the inauguration of the Child and Adolescent Neurodevelopment Center at a hospital in Davao City.

"I am appointing myself as the designated survivor,” she added.

In the United States, a "designated survivor" is someone who is assigned to succeed the presidency and kept away while the nation's leaders are gathered. 

Here at home, a similar bill was filed by former Senator Panfilo Lacson in 2019.

"This bill ... seeks to provide an exhaustive line/order of presidential succession in the event of death, permanent disability, removal from office or resignation of the Acting President to ensure that the Office of the President is never vacated even in exceptional circumstances," Lacson said.

This will be the first time that Duterte will not attend Marcos' SONA.

In response, Manila Representative Joel Chua said the Vice President should not joke about being a designated survivor.

"Given current political tensions, such a joke is not in good taste because the security of the President of the Philippines is not a joking or laughing matter. Great care is taken to ensure the security of the President, especially during the SONA," Chua said.

"Strictly speaking, Vice President Sara Duterte does not have that appointing power for a designated survivor because it is the 1987 Constitution that designates the Vice as the first next in line to succeed the President," he added.

For the Kabataan party-list, the Vice President's "designated survivor" comment was a manifestation of ''delusional behavior.''

“Who appointed you? This is delulu (delusional) behavior. She is no alternative or back-up leader when the only legacy she has proven to Filipinos is her confidential funds racket and the thousands of victims of her family’s fake war on drugs," it said.

Duterte was Marcos' running mate during the 2022 elections under the UniTeam coalition.

Marcos then appointed her to the post of secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), which she will be leaving on July 19. 

Duterte said her resignation was not due to weakness but out of concern for teachers and students.

"Mga kababayan, ang aking pagbibitiw ay hindi lulan ng kahinaan kundi dala ng tunay na malasakit para sa ating mga guro at kabataang Pilipino," she said.

(My countrymen, my resignation was not due to weakness but due to my true concern for our teachers and Filipino youth.)

Aside from her DepEd post, the Vice President also stepped down as vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Despite leaving the Marcos Cabinet, Duterte said she remains "friendly" with the President. 

“We are still friendly with each other on a personal level,” Duterte said.

“Pumunta ako sa opisina ni Pangulong Marcos at sinabi ko sa kanya dala ko ‘yung resignation letter ko, and maayos naman ‘yung kaniyang pagtanggap and maayos din ‘yung pagtapos ng aming pag-uusap,” she added.

(I went to the office of President Marcos and I told him that I brought my resignation letter. He received it well, and our conversation ended on a good note.)

In April, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos admitted having ill feelings towards Duterte after the latter’s family made drug accusations against the President. 

“For me, nasaktan ako because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together ‘di ba—sama sama tayong babangon muli,” Liza Marcos told journalist Anthony Taberna.

(I was hurt because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together during the elections, right—we will rise together.) 

Three former Vice Presidents, Leni Robredo, Jejomar Binay, and Noli de Castro will also not attend this year's SONA. --with Llanesca Panti/VAL/VBL, GMA Integrated News