Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday aired a fresh tirade at President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., whom she said does not understand the real situation of the Filipino people.

In a speech before thousands of her family’s supporters at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, Duterte did not mince words when she talked about President Marcos, her former running mate.

“I am grateful that you are still here and listening to me despite the relentless attacks from all sides. In the past months, my name and my family’s name have been dragged through the mud,” she said in Filipino and English at the PDP Laban party’s Miting de Avance (final campaign rally).

“I have said this before, and I will say it again now — I am not the problem of this country. I am not the problem of the Philippines. Duterte is not the problem of the Philippines.”

She described the impeachment complaint against her and the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as a “systematic demolition job against political opponents who once dared to put the country first.”

“Unfortunately, we elected a leader who is incapable of understanding the true condition of the Filipino people and, more importantly, who cannot make decisions for the welfare of the nation,” she said.

She continued: “We are now paying the price for choosing the wrong leader.”

President Marcos and Vice President Duterte ran together under the political coalition “UniTeam” that won a landslide victory in the 2022 elections

Duterte also slammed Marcos for his refusal to undergo a hair follicle drug test and for his campaign promise to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo.

“What’s worse is they managed to kidnap the former president and hastily threw him out of the country to be tried by foreigners,” she said, referring to the arrest and transfer of her father to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.

Marcos has long been suspected of abusing illegal drugs, particularly cocaine. No less than his predecessor, ex-president Duterte, accused him of being a drug addict.

Marcos, in turn, accused the former president of using fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic piperidine opioid primarily used as an analgesic.

‘Doles an insult’

Vice President Duterte also accused the Marcos administration of insulting the Filipino people by bribing them with dole-outs (ayuda) in exchange for votes in the coming elections.

“They insult the Filipino people by using aid to buy your votes. Aid is not inherently bad. In fact, it helped many during the pandemic,” she said.

“But when it is used to manipulate you and exploit your poverty just so they can stay in power it becomes a weapon of abuse. Again, Filipinos deserve better,” she added.

She continued: “We must return to long-term, concrete programs — not short-term dole-outs that are being abused by those in power.”

The Vice President also highlighted the lack of an effective food security program, which she said is the issue closest to the gut of every Filipino.

She likewise pointed out the need for a modern hybrid education system focused on teaching the youth discipline and patriotism, as well as for a “true” universal healthcare system.

“What the Filipino people need is strong infrastructure. Let us build, build, build into the future,” she said.

“What they need are opportunities for livelihood and jobs here in our own country. It is heartbreaking to see the condition of many of our OFWs who are far from their loved ones,” she added.

The Vice President also took an apparent swipe at the law enforcement agencies, which she earlier chided for “standing idly by” when her father was arrested.

“And above all, what the Filipino people need is peace and order. We must completely eliminate criminality, illegal drugs, terrorism and insurgency — through a credible, non-partisan Philippine National Police, supported by our armed forces,” she said.

‘Kill’ remark

Meanwhile, the vice president personally appeared before the Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday to submit her counter-affidavit in connection with the criminal complaint filed against her over her controversial “kill” remark directed at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The National Bureau of Investigation filed the complaint due to Duterte’s speech last year where she allegedly said, “Kill Marcos!” — a statement her camp later clarified was taken out of context. The DoJ has begun its preliminary investigation to determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed with charges.

In a rare move, the Vice President attended the hearing in person, signaling her willingness to confront the allegations in a legal setting.

“Consistent naman po ang ating Vice President — palagi niyang sinasabi na haharapin niya sa tamang venue ang mga paratang laban sa kanya,” said her legal counsel, Atty. Michael Poa. “Ito na po ‘yung pagkakataon na ‘yun.”

But the legal team of Duterte declined to disclose the specifics of her defense, stating they did not want to preempt the DoJ’s review.

“We will not discuss our defenses yet. We want the prosecutors to assess the case without outside influence,” Poa said.

When asked about her confidence in receiving fair treatment, Duterte deferred to her lawyers, who emphasized that “due process must apply to all.”

“We expect due process — that is the minimum, not just for the VP but for anyone undergoing this process,” Poa said.