By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Echoing the late President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos’s storied rise to power, the presidency of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. appears to have been written by destiny, despite Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that she could have won the presidency in 2022 but chose to step aside.
“Then why didn’t she run if she had it in the bag? Dapat tumakbo siya [as president],” said House Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig City Second District Rep. Pammy Zamora during a press conference at the House of Representatives.
Zamora questioned the timing of Duterte’s statement, remarking, “I mean, 2025 na eh, ngayon mo pa sasabihin ‘yan? The presidency, kita naman nating lahat sa history, destiny ‘yan. Eh kung talagang para sa kanya ’yun, then dapat para sa kanya yun.”
She emphasized that the presidency is determined by destiny, history, and the will of the people, urging Duterte to focus on her current responsibilities instead of speculating on what could have been.
1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez also criticized Duterte’s remarks, suggesting they were an attempt to deflect from the issue of unresolved confidential funds.
“She’s answering the issue by bringing up politics and the presidency, but I think what we have to note here is that this issue goes way back—before the Good Government Committee and before people were talking about whether it’s the presidency or not,” Gutierrez said.
It is worth noting that the 1965 film Iginuhit ng Tadhana, which depicted the life of then-Senate President Ferdinand Marcos, faced brief suspension by the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures, reportedly on the orders of then-President Diosdado Macapagal.
This latest exchange reignites discussions on political destiny, accountability, and leadership in the Philippines.
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