Vice President Sara Duterte revealed on Thursday that she endured a “professional crisis” during her stint as a Cabinet member of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., her running mate during the 2022 elections.

Duterte, who previously served as concurrent secretary of the Department of Education and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said she was continuously attacked by individuals close to the President despite her commitment to public service, noting that it was a difficult time that tested her sense of duty.

“Professional crisis ko 'yung naging Vice President ako. I was serving in the Cabinet of BBM [Bongbong Marcos] at nagtataka ako bakit ako inaatake. Wala naman akong ginagawa sa kanila,” Duterte said during a press conference at the Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City in line with the celebration of World Pandesal Day.

She said she faced criticism and political attacks from within the administration even though she was just doing her job.

“Nagtatrabaho lang ako at ‘yun ang commitment ko din sa bayan. Pero kahit nakaupo ako as Cabinet secretary sa Department of Education, sa Office of the Vice President, ang ginagawa nila nagro-roll out ng project, inaatake ako ng administrasyon. Yun ‘yung professional crisis na pinagdaanan ko,” she said.

Duterte said it took her several months to realize her worth and value as a government official, saying she didn’t deserve the treatment she received because she wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“It took me a while to realize my worth and value as a government official na hindi dapat ganito ang ginagawa sa akin kasi wala naman akong ginagawang masama sa administrasyon, kay BBM man o kahit kanino man,” she said.

The Vice President said she decided to resign from her Cabinet posts rather than tolerate the political attacks or plead for peace with those behind them.

“Medyo tumagal din ng ilang buwan bago ako nagdesisyon na hindi tama ang ginagawa sa akin, hindi tama ‘yung ginagawa sa opisina kung saan ako nakaupo," she said.

"I will not endure ‘yung ganoon at hindi rin ako hihingi ng some sort of peace na parang huwag niyong gawin sa akin ito. Ang desisyon ko lang, aalis ako pero bahala na kayo kung anong gusto niyong gawin,” the Vice President added.

Duterte also said she would not seek President Marcos’s help for the temporary release of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who remains detained in The Hague, Netherlands, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity over his administration’s bloody war on drugs.

"Hindi ko kakausapin si BBM para kay dating Pangulong Duterte dahil ang sa akin is yung ginawa nila na kidnapping ng isang Pilipino sa loob --- government kidnapping ng isang Pilipino sa loob ng ating bansa. There's no going back sa ganon," she said during a press conference in Zamboanga City on Wednesday.

"Kung ano man yung problema ni --- legal problem ni dating pangulong Duterte ngayon, ay problema na yun niya at syempre ng pamilya namin dahil ama namin siya. Pero for me, to go to him and request him on behalf of former President Duterte because there's no going back sa ginawa nila na rendition," she added.