Sara Duterte resigns as DepEd secretary

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has tendered her resignation as Department of Education secretary, dislodging herself from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Cabinet after a tense year of flaring political tensions between both of their families.

The Presidential Communications Office announced Duterte's resignation as DepEd secretary and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict on social media on Wednesday.

Duterte went to Malacañang to submit her resignation in person.

"She declined to give a reason why. She will continue to serve as Vice President," the PCO said.

Public approval of the vice president and former DepEd secretary dipped in the latter half of 2023 after her P650 million request for confidential funds set off a word war with opposition lawmakers and progressive groups.

Duterte had defended the confidential and intelligence funds as a necessary measure, branding its critics as "enemies of the people" and saying education was "intertwined with national security."
 
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