MANILA — Vice President Sara Z. Duterte said she is expressing solidarity with Filipinos angered by alleged corruption in the 2025 national budget and claiming that manipulation within the House of Representatives contributed to her resignation as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

In her statement, Duterte said she understands the public’s outrage amid ongoing flood control corruption investigations. She added that she has long been hearing concerns from overseas Filipinos about “transparency, accountability, peace, at security.”

“Nauunawaan ko ang galit ng taong bayan dahil nasaksihan ko mismo kung paano minanipula ng House of Representatives ang budget ng Department of Education,” she said, alleging that lawmakers diverted DepEd funds intended for classrooms and “mistulang ginawang pork barrel” by those “malapit sa mga makapangyarihan.”

Duterte said she refused to “sumali sa panggagago sa taong bayan,” adding that she chose to leave DepEd despite facing impeachment complaints that she claimed were meant to “mapagtakpan… ang katiwalian sa 2025 budget.”

She also said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is now confronted with “a profound crisis of confidence,” citing concerns over how corruption probes are being conducted.

“The President now faces a profound crisis of confidence, especially in the way these corruption investigations are being handled, which appear to lack both direction and resolve,” Duterte said. “We also seek clear answers on how a budget that deprived Filipinos of billions and billions of pesos was approved under his watch.”

Aligning herself with public sentiment, Duterte said she stands with “milyong-milyong Pilipinong nadismaya at nandidiri sa pamahalaang lulong sa insekuridad at walang kabusugang kasakiman.”

She added that citizens’ right to speak and protest is essential to democracy and must be respected: “Ang karapatan nating magsalita at magpahayag ang sandigan ng demokrasya. Dapat itong pakinggan ng pamahalaan. Hindi para isantabi at balewalain lamang.”