Vice President Sara Duterte has refuted Malacañang's recent statement, saying she was not a "complete failure" during her stint as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Duterte, however, stood firm on her earlier remarks that the Philippines' current state of education was lagging behind other countries and remained at a "paper and pencil" level compared to other nations' educational systems.

"We are truly behind sa education system natin compared to more developed countries around the world. And that is true. That is an observation. That is a fact of the Philippines. And I have all the right to say kung ano yung katotohanan ng bansa natin that is covered by the freedom of speech and expression natin. So dapat siguro walang magalit," Duterte said in an interview in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Wednesday.

"Hindi ko maintindihan saan nangagaling yung total failure ako as a Department of Education Secretary. Kasi iba yung actions ni BBM noong ako ay nag-tender ng resignation," the Vice President added.

It can be recalled that on 19 June 2024, Duterte resigned as DepEd secretary and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

"Kung maalala ninyo, that was June 19, 2024. It was a Wednesday. Matagal ko na pinag-isipan yung pagre-resign. Inisip ko na kapag mag-resign ako habang nasa administration ako, inaatake ako, ‘pag nag-resign ako, dodoble yung atake sa akin. Posibleng mag-file ng impeachment case sa akin dahil September 2023 pa lang pinag-uusapan na yun," Duterte said.

"So matagal ko na hawak-hawak yung resignation letter na yun. Matagal ako pabalik-balik sa Malacañang pero hindi ko talaga pa naibigay. Pero noong 19 June 2024, doon ko naisip na yun ang pinakatamang panahon na ibigay ko na yung irrevocable resignation ko," she added.

Duterte also claimed that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. asked her to stay and even offered her another government position, but she declined.

"And to think na the Department of Education was the department that was delivering results sa administration. Sabi ko, ayoko pag-usapan. And then, he tried to ask me to stay. Tapos sabi ko, ayoko na. And then ang sunod niyang ginawa, in-offer-an niya ako, may gusto ka ba na posisyon? Sabi ko, wala akong gustong posisyon," she said.

She further claimed that the President asked her to help in the 2025 midterm elections through her local political party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

"Ang sinabi sa akin, 'pwede ka bang tumulong sa midterm elections para sa mga senators?' Tapos sabi niya, 'kasi diba yung Hugpong ng Pagbabago, kasali naman yun sa UniTeam noon.' Sabi ko pag-iisipan ko pero wala pa akong plano para sa 2025 midterm elections ng senators," Duterte said.

"So clearly lahat nung attempts niya to make me reconsider my resignation. Na sinabi niya, mag-stay lang ako as department secretary of DepEd. Na sinabi niya, gusto ko bang lumipat sa ibang posisyon? Sabihin ko daw sa kanya. Na sinabi niya, pwede ba akong tumulong sa midterm elections ng 2025?" she added.

Duterte said that these were not the actions of someone who saw her as a failure, but rather of someone who needed her in the administration.

"So hindi ko alam saan nangagaling yung sinasabi nilang failure ako as Department of Education secretary. At ang clincher dito hindi iyon ‘yun eh. Hindi yung gusto niya akong manatili at magtrabaho para sa kanya sa administrasyon," she said.

On Wednesday, Malacañang called Duterte’s leadership at DepEd a “complete failure'' in response to her remarks that the country's education system is at a ''paper and pencil'' level.

"Binigyan po siya ng pagkakataon, pinagkatiwalaan siya ng Pangulo since 2022 hanggang 2024 para maging DepEd secretary. Dalawang taon halos na siya ay dapat nagtrabaho. Kung anuman ang kaniyang nirereklamo, dapat natupad na po sana niya ito sa kaniyang panahon," Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a press briefing.