Daily TribuneMarcos unfazed by Sara’s ‘rabble-rousing’
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Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer lawyer Claire Castro
Photo courtesy of PNA
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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not reacted to Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent remarks encouraging the public to express their anger toward the government, according to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
In a press briefing Thursday, Castro criticized Duterte’s statements, emphasizing the Vice President’s role as the country’s second-highest official.
“It is sad that the second-highest leader of the country appears to be encouraging people to be angry with the government,” Castro said. “When the President was informed about this, he did not react because such comments should not come from someone in her position.”
Duterte made the remarks during an indignation rally in Mandaue City on Saturday, saying it was the public’s right to express their anger as a form of free speech.
Castro questioned whether the same level of dissent was encouraged during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Did she also say that people could be angry when her father was labeled and recognized as the most corrupt in 2017?” Castro asked, referring to a report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
“In 2016, he was a runner-up, but by 2017, he was awarded and recognized by People of the Year as the most corrupt.” She recalled a past statement by the former president in which he admitted to corruption.
“Our only question is, did she ever say before that people should have the right to be angry?” Castro said.
Castro noted that Marcos had refrained from speaking out against Duterte, even when the Department of Education, which she led, faced allegations of misused funds intended for marginalized students.
Palace officials said the Vice President should be encouraging the public to help the government rather than inciting anger with “rabble-rousing statements.”
“It would be better if we all worked together instead of having individuals who want to overthrow the government,” Castro said.
While agreeing that freedom of expression includes criticism of the government, Castro questioned why Duterte had not made similar statements during her father’s presidency.
“More things happened during her father’s time,” she said. “So, does this encouragement of public anger have links to the so-called destabilization efforts and repeated calls for action against the government?”
Castro clarified that there are no current reports of destabilization but noted that Duterte’s statements closely resemble sedition—one of the allegations raised against her.
