Vice President Sara Duterte stated on Tuesday that she still considers Senator Imee Marcos a “friend,” despite not speaking to her since publicly criticizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his allies. Their last conversation took place on Friday, October 18, the same day Duterte held a nearly two-hour press conference where she criticized the President and his supporters.
“She’s a senator, she’s a friend. I did not attack her,” Duterte said when asked if their relationship remained intact.
However, Duterte admitted that Sen. Marcos seemed cold in her response to a message she sent after the press conference. She added that Marcos had confided in a mutual friend, expressing frustration with both Duterte and the President. “I told our common friend to let her know she shouldn’t be upset with us but with First Lady Liza Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Duterte explained, without further elaboration on the reasons behind this statement.
During her press conference, Duterte had made a controversial remark about exhuming former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s body and throwing it into the West Philippine Sea if the administration continued its attacks on her—a comment that drew backlash from lawmakers and officials.
