The task of bringing former president Rodrigo Duterte back to the Philippines is a responsibility of Sen. Imee Marcos, Vice-president Sara Duterte-Carpio has declared.
“I’m not the one to bring home former president Duterte to the Philippines,” the vice-president, a naughty smile painted across her face, told the senator pointblank during a Philippine Independence Day event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Filipino community crowd then chanted “Duterte, Duterte” after the remark by the eldest daughter of the former leader who currently languishes in detention at The Hague, Netherlands after being indicted for crimes against humanity.
“Because your brother (President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.) was the one who took him to the Hague, you will be the one to bring him home to the Philippines,’” added the vice-president, looking at the direction of Sen. Marcos who showed up in the Malaysian capital city with Sen. Robin Padilla less than a week after the Senate moved to defer the impeachment proceedings against the younger Duterte.
Duterte-Carpio explained that it was precisely the task of bringing home the former president why she would tag the presidential sister in her social appearances. Duterte-Carpio said she wanted Marcos to update people on how efforts to bring home the former president have been progressing so far.
Former president Duterte has been detained in the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility since March 11.
Duterte said Marcos will remain as her “hostage” until her father is released. “I will drop her once former president Duterte returns to Davao City.”
Sen. Marcos gamely responded to Duterte-Carpio.
“Napakaraming umaasa, napakaraming inaasahan sa akin; ang masasabi ko, simula’t sapul, basta’t gagawin ko ang tama, Diyos na po ang bahala,” Marcos said.
(“So many are hoping, so many expect things from me; all I can say is that from the very beginning, I’ve been committed to doing what’s right, and I leave the rest to God.”)
In Malacañang Palace, presidential press officer Claire Castro said President Marcos has no participation in the supposed deal between Duterte-Carpio and Sen. Marcos to bring home the former president.
”Ito ba iyong binanggit niya na hostage niya, si Sen. Imee Marcos? Ang Pangulo ay walang partisipasyon sa kanilang naging kasunduan. The President is not privy to the contract or agreement between a user and a person willing to be used. Walang kinalaman ang Pangulo sa kontratang kanilang pinasukan, iyong isang tao na manggagamit at isang taong willing magpagamit,” Castro said in press briefing.
(Is this the one where she mentioned that Sen. Imee Marcos was being held hostage? The President has no participation with their deal. The President is not a privy to the contract or agreement between a user and a person willing to be used. The President had nothing to do with the agreement between a user and someone who’s willing to be used.)
Castro said the President only wanted to focus on his duties.
Sen. Marcos, meanwhile, was not impressed by the Palace posture.
“Kami pa talaga ni Inday ang user??? Sure kayo?” Marcos wrote on Facebook.
(So it’s me and Inday (Duterte-Carpio’s nickname) who are the users??? Are you sure?)
“To patol is human, to dedma is divine. Let us be divine,” the senator also said.
(To fight back is human, to ignore is divine. Let us be divine.)
