MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed on Friday that he had privately urged lawmakers to avoid filing an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, following her alleged threat against him.
In a conversation with reporters, Marcos acknowledged sending a text message to members of Congress, urging them not to pursue the impeachment move, which he described as a minor issue that would only distract from more important matters.
“It was actually a private communication, but it leaked. Yes, that’s really my opinion,” the President said.
“This is not important. It does not make a difference to a single Filipino life. So why waste time on it?”
Marcos expressed concern that pursuing an impeachment would only serve to delay legislative work.
“What will happen if somebody files an impeachment? It will tie down the House, it will tie down the Senate. It will just take up all our time and for what? For nothing, for nothing. None of this will help improve a single Filipino life.”
The President dismissed the dispute as inconsequential, referring to it as “a storm in a teacup.”
Marcos’ comments come amid growing tensions between him and Vice President Duterte, who has been embroiled in controversy over her remarks suggesting that she had contacted an assassin to target Marcos and other top officials, should an alleged plot against her life succeed.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, Marcos emphasized the need to focus on more pressing issues the country faces rather than becoming embroiled in political infighting.