President Marcos doesn’t know how to be president — VP Sara

MANILA, Philippines — In her most scathing verbal attack to date, Vice President Sara Duterte said President Marcos “does not know how to be president,” called him “Mr. Deception” and gave him a performance score of one, on a scale with 10 as the best.

Duterte also recalled once telling Marcos’ sister Sen. Imee Marcos that if they continued their “attacks” on her family, she would dig up their late father – former president Ferdinand Marcos – from the Libingan ng mga Bayani and hurl his remains into the West Philippine Sea.

During a press conference that lasted over two hours and was streamed on the Office of the Vice President (OVP)’s official Facebook page yesterday, Duterte described Marcos as a “defeatist” president who “refuses to do anything” to improve upon his shortcomings as the country’s leader.

“If you know you are lacking in some areas, you should be pacing yourself to catch up, and won’t just sit down and admit to these shortcomings and just say, ‘I am lacking,’ ” she told reporters.

“The President does not know how to be president. Is that my fault?” Duterte added.

The Vice President’s press conference was held amid escalating calls for Marcos to support the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s investigation into Sara’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, and his so-called drug war in which thousands of drug suspects were killed by police.

Marcos has said there is no need for ICC intervention and continues to rule out the Philippines’ rejoining the ICC.

Former president Duterte had brushed aside opposition from human rights groups and allowed the elder Ferdinand Marcos’ interment at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in 2016, explaining that it was a privilege accorded to all Philippine presidents.

The Vice President revealed that she threatened Sen. Imee Marcos “in a group chat,” telling her multiple times that if they did not stop with their attacks “I will personally exhume your father and hurl him to the West Philippine Sea.”

Duterte did not disclose the nature of the group chat and who its members were, but she said she received no response from the senator when she posted the remark.

The two families are now on opposing sides, with the Dutertes