Vice President Sara Duterte during her press conference at the Office of the Vice President, Robinsons Cybergate Plaza, Mandaluyong City, on October 17, 2024. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday said the time would come when she would leave politics, but she needed to address the needs of Filipinos first.
In a press conference, she was asked to comment on聽her father former President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 call for her to leave politics.
The Vice President laughed and then said in Filipino: 鈥淎fter he told me to keep running for public office, I ran for mayor, I ran for vice mayor, and then he told me to step away from politics.鈥�
鈥淏ut we will get there鈥� The time will come when I won鈥檛 be involved in politics anymore. I also want that, but my concern is that I need to answer to the 32.2 million Filipinos who placed their trust and confidence in me to serve as the vice president for everyone, not just the 32.2 million,鈥� she added. 鈥淭he time will come when I will no longer participate in politics, but in life, we never know what will happen tomorrow. You can only plan, but it鈥檚 always God鈥檚 purpose that shall prevail.鈥�
Former President Duterte聽made the call during a press conference in Davao City on November 8.
鈥淚nday, just be thankful to God that your father became president and you became vice president. That鈥檚 very rare for one family. Not all families in the Philippines experience that鈥� let鈥檚 just be grateful. Now, as fast as you can, get out of politics,鈥� he said in Filipino.
READ: Sara Duterte鈥檚 chief of staff given last chance to skip House probe
Vice President Duterte is facing allegations of misusing the Office of the Vice President鈥檚 (OVP) confidential funds in 2022 and 2023.
Last September, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged P164 million of the P375-million confidential fund spent by the OVP last year.
COA also issued a聽notice of disallowance on P73.2 million of the OVP鈥檚 P125-million confidential funds for 2022, prompting the House committee on good government and public accountability to probe the OVP鈥檚 budget utilization.
House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said Vice President Duterte may be held liable for graft if she cannot explain how the OVP funds were spent.
READ: OVP execs who skipped House probe cited for contempt, ordered arrested