Palace denies Marcos snubbed Sara

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday disputed claims that President Marcos had snubbed Vice President Sara Duterte upon his return from Washington.

A 21-second video clip circulating online showed Marcos shaking hands with another person while Sara watched on. The Vice President then appeared to have walked out of the venue and then a text graphic that read “Bastusan na” or roughly “They are now rude to one another” appeared.

According to the one who uploaded the video, Marcos violated protocol and did not greet Sara, prompting her to walk out. The uploader also claimed that the incident happened after the President returned from the tripartite summit in the US.

In a statement sent to The STAR, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin described the claims as “egregious errors.”

Bersamin said the video was taken inside the Maharlika lounge in Villamor Air Base at the time of the sendoff for Marcos.

“As the video shows, I was also there. VP (Vice President) Sara and I sat next to each other during the speech of PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos),” the executive secretary said.

“There was no snob of VP Sara by PBBM,” he added.

Bersamin said right after the speech, protocol had Sara and him rush out to the tarmac along with Pasay Rep. Tony Calixto and Pasay Mayor Imelda Rubiano to stand at the foot of the stairs of the plane before Marcos himself got there.

He said the arrangement has been in effect on every foreign trip of the President.

“VP Sara, I, Cong. Calixto and Mayor Rubiano stood at the foot of the stairs at plane side until PBBM had entered; then we all walked together back to the lounge,” the Palace official said.

Sara’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, has been launching numerous tirades against Marcos over various issues, including the fresh push for Charter change and the West Philippine Sea row.