Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that two “Dutertes” will sit as president and vice president of the country for 11 days due to the unprecedented early inauguration of his daughter, vice president-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio, is misleading.
Although this marks the first time in Philippine history that an incoming vice president is the child of an outgoing president, their terms of office do not overlap.
STATEMENT
During his opening remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new sports complex in Bataan on June 17, the president teased the five members of the Garcia political dynasty present for “getting all [of the positions]” in the provincial government. He quipped:
“Bilib ako sa iyong liderato, puro Garcia (I’m amazed by your leadership, all belong to the Garcia family). Sa amin man rin (We’re the same). You know there is a queer coincidence in our history. Maybe it would be the first time; I don’t know. I have yet to look into the archives of our country; but si Inday [Sara] … would swear sa (her) loyalty niya sa (to the) Constitution and to the country ngayong (on) [June] 19.”
He added:
“So si Bongbong Marcos would take his oath of office on June 30 pa. So at that time, at that point in time sa history, ang presidente ako pa. June 30 pa ‘yung isa; pero may vice president na nag-oath of office na. So in about ….11 days, ang presidente ninyo Duterte, ang vice president ninyo Duterte. Kaya sabihin ko kay Inday, ‘ituloy na lang natin ito.’ Hindi, biro lang.”
(So Bongbong Marcos would take his oath of office on June 30. So at that time, at that point in time of history, I’m still the president. The next one would assume the presidency on June 30, but we already have a vice president who has taken an oath of office. So in about 11 days, the president and vice president are Dutertes. I’d like to tell Inday, ‘let’s just continue this.’ No, I’m just joking.)
Source: Presidential Communications Operations Office official website, Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Philippine Sports Training Center (transcript), June 17 2022, watch from 2:28 to 4:37
FACT
Although Duterte-Carpio took her oath as vice president last June 19, she will remain as mayor of Davao City until her term ends on June 30.
Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.
