MANILA, Philippines– Malacañang announced that Vice President Sara Duterte resigned from her positions as education secretary and vice chairman of the government’s anti-communist task force on Wednesday.

Duterte went to Malacañang to submit her resignation as Secretary of the Department of Education, and Vice Chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) at 2:21 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Cheloy Garafil.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has accepted the resignation. 

“She [Duterte] declined to give a reason why. She will continue to serve as Vice President. We thank her for her service,” Garafil said.

“Not a show of weakness”

Vice President Duterte did not give an explanation for leaving the Marcos Cabinet in a press conference following her resignation, but she did state that it is not a show of weakness.

“Mga kababayan, ang aking pagbibitiw ay hindi lulan ng kahinaan kundi dala ng tunay na malasakit para sa ating mga guro at kabataang Pilipino,” Duterte said.

Moreover, during the 30-day transition period, the Office of the Vice President and DepEd said in a statement that they would “not be taking interviews on the matter”.

“We understand that most are curious as to the reason behind such decision, but what is of greater and pressing importance is that a proper transition be made for the next Secretary,” the statement sent to reporters on Viber said.

Uniteam no more

According to Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1st District), an opposition member in the House of Representatives, the departure of Vice President Sara Duterte as Secretary of Education (DepEd) coincided with the collapse of the administration’s UniTeam alliance in Malacañang.

“Duterte’s departure from a prime position in the President’s Cabinet ends with finality the increasingly tenuous partisan relations between the Duterte and Marcos political power blocs,” Lagman said.  

“This terminates absolutely the UniTeam,” Lagman added.

Following Congress’ 2023 rejection of VP Duterte’s request for confidential and intelligence funds, and apparent differences regarding the government’s response to China’s involvement in the West Philippine Sea, her family has been openly in conflict with Marcos and his associates.

During public rallies, former President Rodrigo Duterte and President Marcos engaged in a public back and forth of insults and accusations, with the former accusing the latter of using illegal drugs.

According to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), Duterte’s resignation “only indicates the worsening rift between the Marcos and Duterte camps,” and their power struggle “serves none of the real interests of the people.”

With Duterte stepping down as DepEd secretary, “she is one thorn less in the side of the teachers and the education sector,” ACT said. 

Rep. France Castro, House Deputy Minority Leader and member of the ACT Teachers party list, welcomed Vice President Sara Duterte’s resignation.

In a statement, Rep. Castro said: “Sa wakas ay nagresign na din sa DepEd si VP Sara sana ay mas maaga niya ito ginawa para makapaglagay ng isang kalihim ng DepEd na galing talaga sa sektor ng edukasyon at alam ang kanyang ginagawa,”

“Nasayang ang mahigit dalawang taon para ayusin agad ang education crisis sa bansa at benepisyo at sahod ng mga guro at education support personnel,” Castro added.

Castro also voiced optimism that the NTF-ELCAC will be abolished as a result of Duterte’s resignation.

“It is nothing but an apparatus of the state to violate human rights and spread fake news,” she said.