Presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos broke his silence amid the clamor surrounding Vice President Sara Duterte's recent statements about his father, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and other members of the Marcos family.
"For all this time, I have held my tongue out of respect for the Vice President given the mandate she was given and the responsibility which her office holds," Marcos said in an official statement on Tuesday.
"However, as a son, I cannot stay silent while she threatens to exhume a former President and behead an incumbent one," he added.
Marcos stated that he would be failing in his duty as an Ilocano representative if he did not express his strong disapproval of the "abhorrent comments" made by Duterte regarding the individuals she referenced in her statements.
"I can ascertain that my emotions are shared not only by kakailian in the north but across the country," said Marcos.
The governor noted that his father hasn't made any negative comments about her that could be considered even a mild criticism of her remarks.
Additionally, the President advised him to restrain his disappointment and refrain from making any statements. However, he noted that there comes a time when boundaries must be set, and that time has clearly arrived.
"Going ballistic was perhaps the self therapy she prescribed for herself. But she crossed the line, leaving the civic and civil space in which disagreements can be rationally argued," Marcos stated.
He said this should serve as a reminder to everyone not to take mental health for granted, and he sincerely hopes that the Vice President is doing okay.
"Ultimately, her success, like the President’s will be the success of our nation as a whole. May she find the peace of mind and mental clarity that seems to be eluding her," said Marcos in closing.
During a press conference on October 18, the Vice President made bold statements and revelations regarding her candidacy and her professional relationship with President Marcos, generating controversy.
Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, son of Senator Imee Marcos, was the first to speak out, expressing sadness over Duterte’s remarks that implicated family members, including the late former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whom she threatened to exhume and throw in the West Philippine Sea.
