Ched Rick Gatchalian

Article (news)

45 leaders from Eastern Visayas slam VP Sara Duterte's tirades vs. Marcos Jr., Romualdez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Over 45 key officials from Eastern Visayas crafted a Joint Manifesto of Indignation criticizing Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s recent tirades against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, saying her actions are &quot;reckless, divisive, and baseless&quot;.</p><p>The joint statement, signed and released on Tuesday by top executive local leaders of Eastern Visayas led by Leyte Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon, Biliran Rep. Gerardo “Gerryboy” J. Espina Jr., and Samar Reps. Reynolds Michael Tan and Stephen James Tan, calls out Duterte&#x27;s behavior as &quot;an insult to both the Waray people and their leaders&quot;.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/23/vp-duterte-s-claim-of-tapping-hitman-for-marcos-jr-an-active-threat-malaca-ang-1130">VP Duterte&#x27;s claim of tapping hitman for Marcos Jr. an ‘active threat’: Malacañang</a></div><p>Romualdez, who is among the targets of a supposed kill plot of Duterte once &quot;she is killed first&quot; with Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, is also the re-elected Leyte 1st District Representative. </p><p>The statement from Eastern Visayas&#x27; provincial, city, and municipal officials defended him against the vice president&#x27;s accusations.</p><p>&quot;We, the undersigned local government leaders of Eastern Visayas, express our profound indignation at the malicious, baseless and reckless accusations made by Vice President Sara Duterte against Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez,&quot; the manifesto reads.</p><p>The statement continues with condemning the tirades that the Waray leader and Marcos Jr.&#x27;s cousin received, saying “Unwarranted attacks are an affront not only to a leader of impeccable integrity but also to the pride and dignity of the Waray people – whose values of resilience, hard work and honor are personified by Speaker Romualdez.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/23/vp-duterte-speaker-s-interest-in-presidency-behind-house-probe-into-confidential-funds-1003">VP Duterte: Speaker&#x27;s interest in presidency behind House probe into confidential funds</a></div><p>As the House of Representatives continues its probe on Office of the Vice President and Department of Education&#x27;s past use of confidential funds, the panel decided to transfer the then House-detained OVP chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez to a women&#x27;s correctional facility, prompting Duterte&#x27;s outburst against the Marcos and the Romualdez over the weekend.</p><p>She also claimed that the whole situation is escalating because the speaker allegedly is interested in the country&#x27;s top positions, both the Presidential and the Vice Presidential roles. Romualdez have yet to comment on these accusations.</p><p>&quot;Ginagamit nila &#x27;yung COA para humingi nang humingi hanggang makahanap [sila] ng anong pwedeng gamitin... All because gusto ni Martin Romualdez mag-president,&quot; Duterte told reporters on Saturday.</p><p>(They are using COA to look information that they can use... All because Martin Romualdez wants to be a president.)</p><div><strong>&#x27;MARCOS HAS WARAY BLOOD&#x27;</strong></div><p>The manifesto also criticized how Duterte &quot;disrespected&quot; the legacy of Marcos whose mother was born in Leyte as well.</p><p>“Vice President Duterte’s unfounded allegations also insult the Romualdez legacy, which extends to President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., who shares Waray blood through his mother, former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos,” the statement added.</p><p>“We likewise categorically reject the statements made against President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. These inflammatory remarks and divisive rhetoric not only undermine the unity we are striving to achieve as a nation but also betray the constitutional duty and trust bestowed upon all public officials,” they asserted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/25/marcos-on-vp-sara-duterte-s-kill-threat-yan-ay-aking-papalagan-1337">Marcos on VP Sara Duterte’s kill threat: ‘Yang ganyang kriminal na pagtatangka ay di dapat pinapalampas’</a></div><p>The Eastern Visayas leaders took a swipe at how Duterte&#x27;s statements supposedly affect the administration&#x27;s &quot;unity&quot; — which is known to be the main platform of Marcos-Duterte tandem during 2022 national elections.</p><p>“Her irresponsible statements not only destabilize the unity of the administration but also erode the trust of the Filipino people at a time when cooperation and stability are paramount,” the manifesto said.</p><p>The officials then encouraged Duterte to &quot;cease baseless accusations&quot; and instead shift her priority to &quot;the responsibilities entrusted to her by the Filipino people.&quot; </p><p>Duterte has recently shared that her work at the OVP may be affected by the budget cut from the House and Senate versions of General Appropriations Bill, citing possible job losses and satellite office closures. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/27/vp-duterte-call-out-government-if-ovp-projects-downsized-due-to-budget-cut-2040">VP Duterte: Call out government if OVP projects downsized due to budget cut</a></div>

<p>Over 45 key officials from Eastern Visayas crafted a manifesto criticizing Vice President Sara Duterte's recent tirades against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, saying her actions are "reckless, divisive, and baseless".</p>

Over 45 key officials from Eastern Visayas crafted a manifesto criticizing Vice President Sara Duterte's recent tirades against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, saying her actions are "reckless, divisive, and baseless".

45 officials from Eastern Visayas slam Sara Duterte's tirades

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45 officials from Eastern Visayas slam Sara Duterte's tirades

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 28, 2024 10:26 PM PHT

Read More:

Eastern Visayas

Leyte

Waray

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Martin Romualdez

Sara Duterte

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