‘Well, it was actually a private communication but na-leak na, yes. Because that’s really my opinion. This is not important. This does not make a difference to even one single Filipino life. So, why waste time on it,’ says the President
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday, November 29, that he was personally against the filing of an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Well, it was actually a private communication but na-leak na, yes. Because that’s really my opinion. This is not important. This does not make a difference to even one single Filipino life. So, why waste time on it,” he said in an ambush interview in Lucena City, Quezon province.
“What will happen if somebody files an impeachment? It will tie down the House, it will tie down the Senate. It will just take up all our time and for what? For nothing, for nothing. None of this will help improve a single Filipino life,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a storm in a tea cup.”
Asked if he had reached the point of no return with his former ally and 2022 Uniteam running mate, Marcos said, “Never say never.”
Marcos visits troops
Meantime, Marcos, also on Friday, called on the military not to be distracted by the developments in Philippine politics, and urged them to focus on their Constitutional duties.
“Huwag kayong nalilinlang sa mga nangyayari. Let’s stay focused. Pare-pareho tayo,” he said during a visit to the Southern Luzon Command in Lucena City.
(Don’t be distracted by what’s happening. Let’s stay focused, all of us.)
“Ako, ganoon ang isip, pagka marami — maingay ang nangyayari, iniisip ko lagi: ano ba talaga trabaho ko? Trabaho ko ba’y makipag-away diyan? Trabaho ko makipagdebate diyan sa mga walang kwentang bagay? Hindi. Ang trabaho ko ay pagandahin ang Pilipinas. Kayo naman, may mission din kayo,” he added.
(That’s my thinking when there’s a lot of noisy developments, I just think: what is my job? Is it my job to fight? Is it my job to debate over useless issues? No. My job is to make the Philippines prosperous. On your part, you have your mission.)
Amid the political noise, Marcos told the troops to think about their mission of defending the people and country.
“Kaya’t huwag ninyo — pagka medyo naguguluhan kayo, isipin lang ninyo, alalahanin niyo (So, when you’re confused, just think, just remember: what is my mission? ): What is my mission? What is my mission? Your mission is to defend the people and the Republic — the people of the Republic of the Philippines and the state of the Republic of the Philippines.“
Point of no return
Duterte on Wednesday appeared resigned to accepting her fate in the event she is impeached, saying the Marcos administration was bent on going after her.
“If I get impeached, then that’s my end, tapos,” Duterte said in a press conference in Zamboanga City. “They can always spend and spend money so as to fight against me.”
“Gumastos at magwaldas ng pera ng gobyerno para i-impeach ang Vice President…para pagtakpan at pagtakpan ang kakulangan at pagsisinungaling ng ating administrasyon para matakpan ng mga tao na ang mga pangako ay napako, ay babanatan at babanatan nila ako. They can try, and then let’s see,” she said.
(They spend and squander government money to impeach the Vice President in order to cover up the shortcomings and lies of the administration, to cover up the unfulfilled promises, they will repeatedly attack me. They can try, and then let’s see.)
Asked about her relationship with Marcos, she said, “I really believe that I have reached the point of no return…They are really going after me.”
“Gusto nila talaga akong tanggalin sa posisyon (They really want to remove me from my post),” she said.
By Rappler