Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday said that while political separation is inevitable, respect and civility should always prevail.

“Ang hindi ko nagugustuhan ay iyong pambabastos. Pwede naman tayo maghiwalay sa pulitika, wag lang iyong maging bastos (What I don't like is profanity. We can separate from politics, just don't be rude)," Duterte added.

Duterte made the bold remarks in a media interview after the Senate budget deliberations for the Office of the Vice President, during which she found herself at odds with Senator Risa Hontiveros over her self-authored book, "Isang Kaibigan."

She admitted that she initially did not plan to run for vice president but accepted the offer upon the request of Marcos and his eldest sister, Senator Imee.

“Tumakbo lang ako dahil kailangan mapatuloy 'yung development projects (in) Mindanao, sa Visayas at sa Luzon. At naisip ko at that time if I am vice president, matututukan 'yung mga proyekto na iyon na wala na rin lahat ngayon dahil unappropriated na silang lahat (I only ran because the development projects in Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon need to continue. And I thought at that time if I was vice president, I can focus on those projects that are gone now because they are all unappropriated),” Duterte said, adding that they run on the platform of unity and continuity.

She lamented that the previous administration's big-ticket projects were all shelved.

Duterte, however, expressed no regrets about her decision because the public elected her as the Vice President.

“I am not all bothered. I am bothered na gusto nilang (that they want) i-frustrate ang pinili ng mga tao na maging (what voters chose to be) Vice President all because of power and politics,” Duterte said.

In July, the Vice President resigned as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and from Marcos' Cabinet. Though not explicitly stated, this departure was perceived as a formal dissolution of the UniTeam, especially following Duterte's recent criticism of the Marcos administration's shortcomings.

Duterte also mentioned that she has no plans to run for president in 2028.

“Mahirap sagutin ang 2028. Imaginin n’yo, pagbaba ko dito nahulog ako sa hagdan ‘di ba eh namatay ako bukas, sayang ang paghahanda ko dahil ang layo ng 2028 ("(Plans for 2028 is difficult to answer. What if I die after falling down the stairs from here, it's a waste of my preparation because 2028 is far away," Duterte said, adding she no such plans.

Impeachment

In the same media interview, she bared that legislators in the House of Representatives are openly discussing plans to oust her because they want to destroy the Duterte family.

Duterte cited several issues thrown at her family, including a quad-panel inquiry into her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, and husband, lawyer Mans Carpio, and the alleged pending arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court.

“Pinag-uusapan nila. Kahit na i-deny nila, pinag-uusapan ng members of the House of Representatives kasi meron pa namang kami kaibigan doon sa loob na hindi lang nagsasalita kasi ‘takot’ daw sila. Sinasabi nila it is openly discussed ‘yung impeachment (They talk about it. Even if they deny it, the members of the House of Representatives are talking about it because we still have friends there who are not talking because they say they are 'scared'. They say the impeachment is openly discussed),” she said.

She added: "Kasi ano ba gusto nilang gawin? Gusto nilang pabagsakin ang pamilya Duterte sa pulitika (Because what do they want to do? They want to overthrow the Duterte family in politics.)”

Unfazed

“Kapag paalisin nila ako dito o i-impeach nila ako, hindi kawalan sa akin ang posisyon na vice president. In the first place, hindi ko naman ginustong tumakbong presidente, hindi ko naman ginustong tumakbong vice president (If they expel me from here or impeach me, the position of vice president will not be la loss to me. In the first place I didn't want to run for president, I didn't want to run for vice president),” she said.

Even if impeached or did not run for vice president and remained Davao City mayor, she said they would run after her until 2028 or until the end of Marcos' term.

Despite the harassment their family is experiencing from their opponents, she emphasized that she is not afraid of them.

“‘Di kami takot. Sumasagot lang kami sa kanilang mga atake sa amin at gusto lang naming ipresinta sa taumbayan ang isang perspective na ginaganito kami dahil we are a threat politically and for power (We are not afraid. We are just responding to their attacks, and we want to present to the people a perspective that we are being treated like this because we are a threat politically and for power),” Duterte said.

She added: ‘We are a threat to the perpetuation in power of people na interesado maging interested to be) Prime Minister kung matuloy ang niluluto nilang Cha-cha o President.”

Self-sprotection

When asked how she protects herself, she said she has lawyers.

“I hire lawyers, yan nalang ang magagawa ko (That is the only option I have). Pero kung makikita nyo hindi na sila sumusunod sa batas, sa harassment nila. Tatanggapin kung ano yung darating. Que sera sera (But you see that they no longer obey the law, with their harassment. We will accept what comes. Que sera sera),” Duterte added.