President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. defended Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte anew amid mounting calls for her to resign from the Cabinet.

“I don’t see the reason behind that,” President Marcos said on the sidelines of the Town Hall Consultation with Farmers and Fisherfolks in Occidental Mindoro when asked to react on suggestions to remove her as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

President Marcos visited Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday to provide cash assistance and other services to farmers and fishermen affected by the El Nino phenomenon. He also listened to their grievances amid the effects of the punishing weather condition.

He said that he will meet with Vice President Duterte to discuss important matters.

Asked if he will give assurance to the Vice President that she will keep her post, the chief executive emphasized that he does not see the need to do it.

“She doesn’t need my assurance. She knows that,” he said.

The President also said that the Vice President will remain as Education Secretary, adding that cabinet members will only be removed from their posts if they are inefficient or corrupt.

“Any of the cabinet secretaries will be replaced ‘pag hindi na nila ginagawa ‘yung trabaho nila,” President Marcos said.

“All the other things are not part of the discussions. ‘Pag hindi na kaya, eh nagkasakit sabihin mo na, eh ‘di papalitan ka namin, o hindi talaga marunong o corrupt ‘di ba? Tatanggalin ka talaga namin. Eh hindi naman ganun si Inday Sara eh,” he added. |PND