Marcos defends Sara

WASHINGTON – President Marcos yesterday defended Vice President Sara Duterte from criticisms that she has been silent on China’s aggressive acts in the South China Sea, saying discussing the maritime dispute is not among her roles in the government.

Sara, also the education secretary, has drawn flak for her silence on China’s incursions and risky maneuvers in the strategic sealane, with the democratic socialist political party Akbayan accusing her of abandoning her duty and patriotism.

Akbayan claimed that the Vice President’s “no comment” remark on China’s acts of violence and harassment against Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea “epitomizes the most traitorous two words uttered by the second highest leader of the land.”

“The Vice President is part of the government. Unlike before, (the Vice President) is now part of the administration, not only the government’s agenda in this administration. That’s not the role of the Vice President, or the secretary of education to talk about China,” Marcos said.

“So, I think we are all in line because I’m very sure that if Inday Sara had some very serious misgivings about what we are doing in terms of foreign policies, she would bring that to me. She doesn’t have one,” he added.

Marcos said Sara had told him that she would just keep on working, describing her stance as “a good policy.”

“So, I don’t think it is something that we need to be concerned with,” the President said.