Escudero amid Sara's criticisms: Help address problems instead of pointing fingers

Instead of blaming others, Vice President Sara Duterte could help in addressing the country's problems using her position in government, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Friday said.

Escudero made the remark after Duterte, the government's second-highest official, issued a lengthy statement on Thursday, hitting the administration, including the House of Representatives, for its supposed lack of action to address issues in health, security, infrastructure, and foreign interference.

"The Vice President, like every Filipino, has the right to point out the problems confronting our countrymen. Unlike ordinary citizens, however, she can actually suggest or do something tangible about them using her position, resources and platform," Escudero said.

"Imbes na magturuan at magsisihan, mas mainam na magtulungan na lang tayo para tugunan ang mga problema ng ating bansa at mga kababayan," he added.

(Instead of finger-pointing and blaming others, it's better that we help each other to address the problems facing our nation and countrymen.)

While the Senate president noted that Duterte's statements "should not be surprising" due to her resignation from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s Cabinet, Escudero said her critique of the absence of a flood masterplan was "perplexing" given that her father, Rodrigo Duterte, served as the country's president before the current administration.

"What is perplexing is her questioning the absence of a flood masterplan two years into the administration of PBBM after the previous administration had six years to develop one, but was unable to do so," he said.

Escudero added, "Matagal nang problema ang pagbabaha sa bansa. Kung meron kasing nagawa na o nasimulan man lang po noon, eh 'di meron na po sana tayong napapatupad na ngayon."

(Flooding has been a long-standing problem for the country. If something was started or done before, then we could be implementing something now.)

"We have other problems, but the focus of the Senate is to address them, and not just point," the Senate president added.

GMA News Online sought the comment of Duterte on Escudero's statement, but she has yet to respond as of posting time.

Senator Imee Marcos, the President's older sister, said Duterte just relayed what the Filipino people wanted.

"May pitik sa administrasyon. Sa palagay ko hindi na rin maiiwasan 'yan eh ganyan talaga. May areas na pwede talaga tayong mag-improve," the senator told reporters in an interview Friday.

(There are criticisms against the administration. That cannot be prevented because there are really areas where we should improve on.)

Senator Marcos agreed with Duterte's remark on the problem of flooding in the country and reiterated that programs to mitigate it were allocated with funds every year, but the problem still persists.

Despite the criticisms against her brother's administration, Senator Marcos said she is still friends with Duterte.

"Oo naman," she said when asked if she is still a friend of Duterte. "Ako, ayokong nakikipag-away. Ako ang inaaway. 'Yun ang problema. Ayoko talaga makipag-away. Gusto ko sana UniTeam forever pero mukhang wasak na 'yun eh. Talagang nakakasama ng loob."

(Yes, of course. I, personally, don't want any feud. But the problem is they are fighting me. I really wanted the UniTeam to stick forever but that tandem was already broken.)

Now that the tandem of her brother and the Vice President is no longer intact, Senator Marcos said she is "not yet in the mood" to talk about the 2025 national and local elections. She can still run for Senate for her second term.

In an ambush interview on Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III was asked to comment on Duterte's recent statement.

He replied: "Sana nagbigay siya ng contra-SONA (She should have delivered a contra-SONA)."

A contra-SONA is usually delivered by the minority leaders of both Houses of Congress to refute the points that they deem unacceptable from the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the President.

For his part, Senator JV Ejercito said the apparent feud between the President and the Vice President "does not send a very good signal internationally."

Show proof

Meanwhile, Surigao del Norte Representative Ace Barbers said Duterte should show proof to support her statements.

"On issue of [supposed] misuse or mishandling of the national budget, the Vice President must have a basis, certain documents falling in such parameters," Barbers told reporters in an online press conference.

"I will ask her to show how the mishandling happened. Because according to our Constitution, we can run after those who are guilty of that and we can file appropriate cases against such perpetrators," Barbers added.

In 2022, the Marcos-Duterte tandem won via landslide in the polls. The partnership, dubbed as "UniTeam," launched its successful campaign with a central message of "unity."

However, Duterte on Thursday confirmed in an interview with GMA Integrated News that she has not been speaking with the President and that she has no description for their relationship as of the moment. — with a report from Llanesca T. Panti/VDV, GMA Integrated News