MANILA — Malacañang pushed back against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s public apology for helping elect President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., stressing that the 2022 presidential mandate was earned at the ballot box by the will of the Filipino people — not by any single political partner.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed the notion that Duterte-Carpio could take sole credit for Marcos’ landslide victory under the UniTeam banner, emphasizing that the election outcome reflected the collective decision of voters nationwide.
“Ang taumbayan ang naghalal kay Pangulong Marcos Jr. Kung anuman po ang naitulong niya, pareho naman silang nagtulungan dahil ito ay UniTeam kaya huwag niyang solohin ang credit,” Castro said.
The Palace statement came hours after Duterte-Carpio, in a speech, publicly apologized for backing Marcos during the 2022 campaign — a striking move that underscored the deepening rift between the country’s top two elected officials.
“Mga kababayan, humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa inyong lahat. Patawad kung tinulungan kong mahalal si BBM bilang Pangulo ng ating bansa,” Duterte-Carpio said.
The Vice President also took aim at the administration’s performance, alleging unfulfilled promises and citing corruption concerns as her reason for stepping down from her Cabinet post.
“Dahil hindi ko kinayang maging bahagi ng 2025 national budget na tadtad ng katiwalian, pinili kong umalis sa Gabinete,” she said.
Duterte-Carpio said she had long harbored concerns about the administration’s governance, pointing to mounting economic and social pressures faced by ordinary Filipinos.
“Patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin habang nananatiling kapos ang kita ng bawat pamilya,” she said.
Her remarks signal a widening political divide that could reshape alliances ahead of the next electoral cycle, as tensions between former UniTeam partners continue to play out in public./PN
