VP Sara mum on Marcos reconciliation offer

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has remained silent on President Marcos’ willingness to reconcile, as the start of her Senate impeachment trial inches closer and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, remains detained in The Hague.

“We’ll relay here if there’s any available statement coming from the Vice President,” her camp replied when asked to comment on Marcos’ statement that he wants to get along with everyone, including the Dutertes.

Marcos made the remark during a recent podcast interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna.

Asked whether the reconciliation between the President and the Vice President is feasible, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said, “If the other party is not willing, nothing will happen. It’s not workable.”

In an interview with dzBB yesterday, Castro said the President is ready to work with everyone, even those with different “political policies.”

“It’s (reconciliation) for the people, I mean, he’s the father of the country,” she noted.

In an ambush interview last Saturday in Davao City, the Vice President disclosed that her lawyers may be against letting her face a Senate impeachment trial, but she said she wants it to proceed.

“I really want a bloodbath,” she declared.

Church, Senate back reconciliation

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and several senators support a possible reconciliation between Marcos and Duterte.

“Unity and reconciliation are always good for our country,” CBCP public affairs committee executive secretary and Archdiocese of Manila spokesman Fr. Jerome Secillano told Radyo Veritas.

“If the President is offering them to the Dutertes, the latter’s camp should consider it if only for the good and benefit of our country and the Filipinos,” he added.

For Senate President Francis Escudero, the President was right in saying the country’s leaders cannot be consumed by politics while the people suffer on a daily basis.

“The President’s message is clear – now is the time to build bridges, not burn them. We owe it to our people to rise above division and do better – together – for the sake of our nation,” he said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada likewise welcomed the President’s willingness to reconcile, but reiterated his disapproval of the impeachment trial.

“But as duly elected members of the Senate, we are mandated by the Constitution to act on any impeachment complaint. The Filipino people deserve nothing less than a Senate that upholds integrity, objectivity and respect for due process,” Estrada said.

Although he is in favor of reconciliation, senator-elect Panfilo Lacson warned that such openness might be misconstrued as weakness unless accompanied by strong leadership within the Cabinet.

“That said, he may need a strong but well-intentioned bastonero (implementer) in his Cabinet who is capable of making government officials, including members of Congress, toe the line towards good governance,” Lacson said.

“The implementer should not be abusive. The person must be strong but well-intentioned,” he added.

No Ping-Sara meeting

At the same time, Lacson on Monday denied rumors that he recently met with Sara Duterte, calling the allegation false and malicious.

“I vehemently deny and dismiss such rumor as absolutely false and outright malicious, for one simple reason only: as an elected senator who is a potential senator-judge in the impeachment trial involving the Vice President who is the subject of such impeachment, it is the height of impropriety to meet with her,” Lacson said.

The alleged meeting reportedly involved Lacson and another senator-elect, though the name of the other person was not confirmed.

Lacson emphasized that under ordinary circumstances, there is nothing improper about newly elected officials visiting the Vice President.

“I did exactly that when I won my third term as senator in 2016 by paying a visit to then vice president Leni Robredo,” he said. — Helen Flores, Neil Jayson Servallos, Evelyn Macairan, Jose Rodel Clapano