Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte clarified that he apologized only to Senator Imee Marcos for calling for the resignation of her brother, President Marcos, in a rally last week – and did not say sorry to the Chief Executive himself.
Duterte also made clear in a Facebook post late Saturday that he only apologized because he “felt sorry to the senator,” who heard his negative statements during a prayer rally in Davao City last Jan. 28 against the People’s Initiative campaign for Charter change.
“Madame Imee, I want to make this clear because you are using it for media drama. I apologized because I felt bad for you, and not for what I said about your brother, who is (P)resident,” Duterte’s post said.
Reports said Senator Marcos was beside Vice President Sara Duterte during the prayer rally and sat through the Dutertes’ tirades against the President.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte also lambasted Mr. Marcos at the prayer rally.
Mayor Duterte added he was dismayed when Imee Marcos told the media recently about the mayor’s apology, saying he forgave the senator once but did not specify the instance.
Senator Marcos has maintained close ties with Vice President Duterte and her family amid the apparent rift between the Dutertes and Marcoses.
On Friday, the senator met with former President Duterte after a Senate hearing in Davao City on the People’s Initiative signature campaign.
Last week, Senator Marcos said Mayor Duterte’s outburst against President Marcos was triggered by his fear that his father and sister could be imprisoned.
She said the mayor apologized profusely to her after publicly daring Mr. Marcos to resign over the weekend during an anti-Charter change gathering in Davao City.
“Mayor Baste Duterte approached me, and he kept on apologizing,” the senator said in an interview at the Senate.
“I understand that he was very emotional. Imagine that your father and sister might be imprisoned – you will really be upset,” she added.
Senator Marcos was apparently referring to the investigation of the International Criminal Court into the former President’s bloody war against illegal drugs.