VP Sara skips Independence Day events in Manila, leads Davao Ceremonies

📷 Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte | City Government of Davao, Facebook

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte was nowhere in sight during the ceremonies for the celebration of the 126th Independence Day in Manila and the traditional Vin D’Honneur or Wine of Toast in Malacañang on Wednesday, June 12.

Instead, Duterte led the flag-raising ceremony and the wreath-laying ceremony at Rizal Park in San Pedro Square, Davao City, without giving any reason as to why she skipped the events in Manila.

Both Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos graced the Vin d’honneur at Malacañang, along with various high-ranking government officials, former presidential families, members of Congress, the judiciary, and the diplomatic corps.

The Vin D’Honneur is a traditional reception led by the president every New Year and Independence Day that highlights a toast between the President and the Papal Nuncio—a testament to the Spanish influence on Filipino culture.

On the sidelines of the Independence Day rites in Davao City, the Vice President also made a shady comment while talking to local reporters in an interview.

“Bisag gidaug-daog mo, dapat gwapa gihapon mo (In victory or defeat, you should still remain beautiful),” Duterte said.

Earlier this year, the First Lady expressed enmity toward Duterte over the latter’s behavior during a January rally in Davao City where the vice president’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, called President Marcos “bangag,” a slang term for a drug user.

Duterte, on the other hand, said that the personal sentiments of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos against her are not covered by her mandate as a public servant. (TCSP)