Vice President Sara Duterte bared on Thursday that she will skip President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) slated on July 20, 2024.
“No. No, I will not attend the SONA,” Duterte told the media during the Child and Adolescent Neurodevelopmental Center Inauguration at Brokenshire Hospital in Davao City on Thursday.
“I am appointing myself as the designated survivor,” the vice president added.
In the United States, a “designated survivor” is someone who is assigned to succeed the presidency and kept away while the nation’s leaders are gathered.
It can be recalled that in August 2019, former Senator Panfilo Lacson filed a “designated survivor” bill to guarantee the continuity and stability of operations in government in case of a terrorist attack, major disaster or other “exceptional circumstances” where the President and those specified by the Constitution to succeed him or her are killed or permanently disabled.
This will be the first time that Duterte will not attend Marcos’ SONA.
During the previous SONA, Vice President made noise for donning head-turning ethnic-inspired dresses.
The Vice President wore the tribal dress of Bagobo Tagabawa, one of the 11 tribes that dwell in Davao City at the first SONA, then donned a traditional Maguindanaon dress to pay homage to the Moro tribe during the second SONA.
Meanwhile, the Vice President reacted to the series of shuffling of men in the Davao City Police Office (DCPO).
Duterte said that DCPO was recognized as best city police not only in the Davao Region but the country as well.
“Dili seguro accurate ang ginaingon nga taas ang krimen dinhi sa Davao especially that known ang Dabawenyos as law abiding citizens. Wala ta kabalo sa motive behind sa ingon ana pero kita diri sa Davao City we are law abiding citizens,” she said.
