VP Sara Duterte Says She Will Not Leave Office No Matter What
SARA DUTERTE – As political tensions continue to rise, Vice President Sara Duterte delivered a strong message that she remains committed to serving her supporters and finishing her term.
Vice President Sara Duterte has firmly denied speculation that she may resign from office as her impeachment trial continues before the Senate, insisting that stepping down is not an option despite the political challenges she faces.
In a brief, undated interview shared on the Padayon & Updates Facebook page, Duterte dismissed rumors about leaving her post and stated that she remains committed to serving the millions of Filipinos who elected her.
“Oh, never gonna happen. I will never resign because it would be like a betrayal to the 32.2 million people who voted for me,” she said.
She also declared that any attempt to remove her from office would have to go through the proper legal process.
“If PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos) wants, he could try to do everything to remove me from office,” she added.
The Vice President is currently facing four articles of impeachment involving allegations of fund misuse, unexplained wealth, bribery, and grave threats. As part of the proceedings, the Senate impeachment court has subpoenaed her bank records, tax documents, and records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
Over the weekend, Duterte travelled to London, where she attended the “Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas: Pagtitipon para sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran” gathering, which was attended mostly by overseas Filipino workers. Her visit came shortly after a trip to The Hague.
During her speech, Duterte criticised what she described as the growing culture of self-interest among government officials over several decades.
“I do not know what happened from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s up to 2026. What happened is that Filipinos only looked out only for their own interest. Those who occupied seats (in government) and gained power, they became selfish… And what happens is if you do not join them, then according to them you are wrong and you will be imprisoned. That is what is happening in our country today,” she said.
She also questioned why so many Filipinos still feel compelled to seek employment overseas, saying the country should be capable of creating opportunities at home.
“Why has it become normal for many Filipinos to dream of working abroad? This is wrong. Our own country should be able to provide them these opportunities. It should be that we do not have to leave the country, but we could leave only if we want to. We should not be forced to leave our families, our children and have broken families,” she said.
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte reiterated his belief that the impeachment case is politically motivated and intended to prevent the Vice President from seeking the presidency in 2028. He pointed to a recent Pulse Asia survey showing Duterte as the preferred presidential choice of one in two Filipinos, while noting that a separate Social Weather Stations survey found that 70 percent of respondents believe she should answer the charges before the Senate impeachment court.
Addressing members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino during the party’s national assembly, Mayor Duterte claimed the administration’s primary political focus is the impeachment proceedings.
“The priority of the administration right now is the impeachment of the Vice President,” Mayor Duterte told Partido Demokratiko Pilipino members during the party’s national assembly on Saturday.
“We all know that if they cannot remove the Vice President now, they cannot install their own president in the 2028 elections because she is a great threat to the presidency in 2028,” he added.
The Davao City mayor also criticised the country’s presidential system, arguing that too much authority is concentrated in the Office of the President. He further alleged that political opponents could be intimidated, citing the case of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.
“What happened to him? Do we even have freedom at all in our country?” Duterte asked.
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