VICE President and former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte dismissed discussions about the 2028 presidential elections, stating that the future is too distant for speculation.
In response to former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque's endorsement of a potential presidential-vice presidential tandem with Senator Imee Marcos, Duterte emphasized the uncertainty of predicting events seven years ahead.
“The future is far too distant for us to speculate what will happen in 2028,” Duterte said in an interview with the media, on November 10.
Roque, in his YouTube channel's November 9 livestream, “Pagdating ng 2028, parang maganda atang Duterte-Marcos naman… first time in history, parehong babae, pero bakit hindi, pareho naman silang mayroong b*y*g (Come 2028, it’s nice to have a Duterte-Marcos tandem, a potential historical all-women tandem, but why not, they had all the guts).”
Confidential funds
Concerning the allocation of confidential funds in the 2025 budget, Duterte refrained from speculating, noting that the next budget approval is more than a year away.
The Office of the Vice President had earlier declined its request for P500 million in confidential and intelligence funds for Fiscal Year 2024.
"That is something that I cannot speculate right now because the next budget will be (approved) more than a year (from now)," Duterte said.
Thankful
Duterte also expressed gratitude to Imee Marcos for her support during the "rough patches" the Duterte family is currently facing.
“Nagpasalamat ko (I am thankful). It is true that the political side of our family is going through a rough patch right now. Para lang masabtan sa mga tawo, lahi ang politika, lahi ang trabaho. So nagpasalamat ko kay Senator Imee Marcos sa iyahang padayon na pagsuporta sa politika sa among pamilya (For people to understand, politics and work are different, so I am thankful for Senator Imee Marcos' continuous support to our family),” Duterte said.
In response, Marcos affirmed her commitment to stand by the former president, saying, "Noong 2015, ako ang una at kaisa-isang gobernador na nagdeklara ng suporta para kay Pangulong Duterte. At kahit ako ang nag-iisang matira, maninindigan ako para sa kanya (In 2015, I am the only one who declared support for former President Duterte, and even if I'm the one left, I will stand for him)."
Notably, former PDP-Laban national treasurer Senior Deputy Speaker (SDS) Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga's third district pointed out former President Duterte as the one attacking the Congress. The elder Duterte vowed to remain a part of the party unless "he will be removed." ICE
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