Marcos on Sara apology for urging KOJC members to vote him: That's her prerogative

"That's her prerogative."

This was the remark of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. regarding Vice President Sara Duterte's apology to Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) members for encouraging them to vote for him in Eleksyon 2022.

Interviewed on Wednesday, Marcos said he could not understand Duterte's reason behind the apology to KOJC members.

"I still don't understand why. That is her wish, wala tayong magagawa (we can't do anything about that)," Marcos said.

The President said he has no communication with Duterte since she filed her resignation in June as Education secretary.

"No, none at all. None at all. The last time I spoke to her was when she handed me her resignation. We haven't spoken since," Marcos recalled.

Duterte's apology came after Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel trooped to the KOJC compound in Buhangin, Davao City to serve arrest warrants against fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

The Vice President has condemned the police operation, saying that there had been a gross abuse of power.

She then asked for forgiveness from the entire KOJC flock, saying "... sa paghikayat at pakiusap ko sa inyong iboto si Bongbong Marcos Jr. noong 2022. Nawa'y mapatawad ninyo ako. You deserve better. Filipinos deserve better (... for encouraging and appealing to you to vote for Bongbong Marcos Jr. in 2022. I hope you will forgive me. You deserve better. Filipinos deserve better)."

Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act and under Section 10(a) of the same act.

He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court.

Quiboloy has denied the accusations against him.

With a campaign message centered on "unity," Marcos and Duterte emerged as the country's top leaders after landslide victories in the 2022 polls.

The relationship between Marcos and the Vice President was tested in 2023, notably by the Chief Executive's stance on whether or not the government should cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the alleged human rights abuses committed under the Duterte administration's bloody drug war.

Another contentious issue was the move of the Romualdez-led House of Representatives to strip the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), which she previously led as secretary, of their confidential funds in the 2024 national budget. — VDV, GMA Integrated News