- VP Sara slams Marcos admin amid surprise EDSA rally
VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte launched a scathing attack on the Marcos administration on Tuesday, accusing the government of severe “poor governance” and weaponizing the justice system to silence political critics and suppress dissent.
The Vice President’s remarks were issued in a statement on June 30, coinciding with an unannounced “emergency rally” that drew an initial 8,000 demonstrators to the People Power Monument along EDSA early Tuesday morning, severely disrupting traffic.
“The people gathered in EDSA today reflect a growing sentiment that I have consistently expressed since 2024,” Duterte said. “This administration has been defined by poor governance and its failure to acknowledge and address the country’s real problems.”
In her statement, the Vice President highlighted the severe economic vulnerabilities gripping ordinary citizens against executive apathy.
Duterte claimed that while millions of Filipinos face soaring inflation, job insecurity, and skyrocketing costs of living, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains fundamentally “detached from the hardships confronting Filipinos.”
“Instead of confronting these challenges with solutions, the administration has chosen to silence dissent under the guise of accountability,” the statement read. “It has weaponized the justice system by filing cases against and imprisoning individuals who dare speak out against alleged corruption and abuses in Malacañang, question the administration’s competence, or criticize the President, including allegations concerning his drug use.”
Duterte warned that responding to political criticism with state-backed intimidation severely undermines democratic accountability and drastically shrinks the space for legitimate political dissent in the country.
The statements come as the Senate impeachment court prepares to begin trial proceedings against the Vice President on July 6, over the alleged misuse of confidential funds and other corruption issues.
“This is no longer a matter of politics,” Duterte concluded. “It is a matter of the honor of the State and a future of a people who continue to bear the weight of economic hardship while their voices are increasingly met with repression.”
The unannounced demonstration at the corner of EDSA and White Plains Avenue began as early as 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
According to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the crowd consisted primarily of members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), assembling in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, an ally of the Vice President who is currently facing an impending plunder complaint filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
