Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte Resigns As Education Minister Amid Rift with President Marcos
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte resigned on Wednesday from her positions as education minister and vice-chair of an anti-insurgency task force, signaling a significant rift in her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
President Marcos accepted Duterte's resignation and expressed gratitude for her service, according to Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil. The vice president did not provide a specific reason for her departure.
In a separate press conference, Duterte stated, "My resignation is not because of weakness but because of true concern for teachers and the youth."
The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families, which began in 2022 with Sara Duterte running as Marcos' vice-presidential candidate, was crucial in securing Marcos' electoral victory by leveraging the Duterte family's substantial support base.
While it was anticipated that this political partnership might eventually fracture, analysts were taken aback by the rapid deterioration of their relationship. Tensions escalated after former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara's father, accused Marcos of drug use in January. Additionally, Sara Duterte's brother, the mayor of Davao City, called for Marcos' resignation at that time.
"This is the break we have all been waiting for," commented Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, on Duterte's resignation from her cabinet role.
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