Sara Duterte won't say why she's skipping SONA

Vice President Sara Duterte refused to elaborate why she will not attend the third State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. next week. 

''Nagsabi na ako ng rason, akala nila joke o bomb threat. Hindi na ako magpaliwanag pa,'' Duterte told GMA News Online in a text message when asked for reason why she would not attend the SONA. 

(I already cited my reason, they thought it was a joke or bomb threat. I will no longer explain it.) 

Duterte earlier said she had appointed herself as the designated survivor, a statement which she did not elaborate. 

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

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

Marcos appointed her as the 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. —LDF, GMA Integrated News