20-6-2024 (MANILA) In a move that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, Vice President Sara Duterte tendered her resignation from her positions as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Vice Chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) yesterday, fueling speculations about the state of the once-formidable UniTeam alliance.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) confirmed the resignation, stating, “As of 2:21 p.m. today, 19 June 2024, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, went to Malacañang and tendered her resignation as Member of the Cabinet, Secretary of the Department of Education and Vice Chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC, effective 19 July 2024. She declined to give a reason why. She will continue to serve as Vice President. We thank her for her service.”
At a press briefing held later that afternoon at the DepEd complex in Pasig, Duterte announced her resignation as education secretary, stating, “Earlier today, June 19, 2024, I sought an audience with the President and tendered my resignation as the Secretary of Education effective July 19, 2024. I have given my 30-day notice to ensure the proper and orderly transition for the benefit of the next secretary.”
In her resignation letter addressed to President Marcos, Duterte assured that she had prepared a comprehensive transition plan for all nine strands of the DepEd, as well as for positions chaired by the department and the Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), where she served as Council president.
“I shall remain of service to the country through the various programs, activities and projects of the Office of the Vice President. I thank you for the opportunity to have served as a member of your Cabinet,” she added.
Amidst mounting criticisms and apparent strains in the relations between their families, Duterte sought to dispel any notion of weakness, asserting, “This is brought by true concern for our teachers and the Filipino youth. While I will not be heading the DepEd, I will continue to push for the quality of education that Filipinos deserve.”
She further emphasized, “While I will no longer be the secretary of education, I will remain a mother who looks after and would stand up for the welfare of all teachers and students in the Philippines.”
Duterte declined to provide specific details or reasons behind her resignation from the Marcos Cabinet, leaving questions swirling about whether she would remain aligned with the administration as the President searches for her replacement.
The resignation has reignited speculations of cracks within the once-formidable UniTeam, the alliance that secured a landslide victory in the 2022 elections. Tensions have been brewing between the political families, with former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, an ally of Sara, being demoted from House senior deputy speaker to deputy speaker. Duterte subsequently resigned from the Romualdez-led Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats party after Arroyo’s demotion.
Rumors of a rift among UniTeam members intensified further when the House of Representatives, dominated by Marcos’ allies, realigned the combined P650-million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and DepEd to agencies securing the West Philippine Sea. This decision to strip the agencies led by Sara of intelligence funds angered her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who labeled the legislative chamber as the “most rotten” institution and accused Speaker Martin Romualdez of “swallowing” discretionary funds.
The situation took a personal turn in January when Duterte claimed in an expletive-laden speech that Marcos is a drug addict, an allegation the President dismissed with laughter. Duterte also warned Marcos about attempts by administration allies to effect Charter change through a people’s initiative signature campaign, drawing parallels to the 1986 ouster of the President’s late father and namesake. Marcos retaliated by linking Duterte’s tirades to his alleged use of the highly addictive drug fentanyl.
Despite the public spat, Marcos maintained that the UniTeam remained “intact and vibrant.” However, tensions escalated further in April when First Lady Liza Marcos revealed her negative view of Sara due to the Vice President’s laughter when her father called Marcos “bangag” (high on drugs) during a rally in Davao City. Sara responded by asserting that Liza’s personal feelings had no bearing on her governmental functions.
Amidst the controversies, Marcos had defended Sara’s retention in the Cabinet, stating that the issue did not affect his working relations with his running mate in the 2022 elections. However, Sara made headlines this month when she declared that the UniTeam had already served its purpose, stating, “The UniTeam was a tandem during the 2022 elections. The elections are over, we won and we are grateful to those who supported us. We are not candidates anymore.”
While Marcos repeatedly praised Sara’s performance as a Cabinet member, they did not see eye-to-eye on certain issues. Sara criticized the government’s joint statement with the National Democratic Front (NDF), which negotiates on behalf of communist rebels, calling it an “agreement with the devil” and casting doubt on the insurgents’ sincerity in pursuing peace.
Sara also faced criticism for her perceived silence on China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea, though Marcos defended her, stating that discussing the dispute was not part of her mandate. The President also tweaked DepEd’s proposals for changing the school calendar, citing concerns over resources and student well-being.
The last public appearance of Marcos and Sara together was during the Philippine National Police Academy graduation in Cavite in April, while their last known closed-door meeting took place on May 21 in Malacañang, where they tackled proposals to amend the school calendar.
