For the first time since she assumed the vice presidency, Sara Duterte issued a statement on Sunday night, February 25, commemorating the anniversary of the EDSA People Power revolution that toppled the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, the father and namesake of her Uniteam tandem.

However, it was short-lived.

Shortly after the message was posted on her official Facebook page at around 9 pm, it was taken down. At that time, several fan pages of the Vice President had reposted it while Marcos supporters slammed her for paying tribute to the “brave souls” who risked their lives for a “better Philippines”

What was in the now-deleted post?

The Vice President called on Filipinos to “remember the lessons of EDSA – the power of unity, the strength of the Filipino spirit, and the importance of standing up for what is right.”

“On this day, we commemorate the brave souls who stood united on the streets of EDSA, fighting for democracy and freedom. Their courage and determination paved the way for a better Philippines, and their sacrifices will never be forgotten,” she said.

Duterte did not issue a new message. Throughout her father’s term, then-president Rodrigo Duterte issued EDSA messages that were similar to Sara’s retracted message, urging Filipinos to honor and learn from those who fought to restore democracy in the country.

Duterte: On this day, we commemorate the brave souls who stood united on the streets of Edsa, fighting for democracy and freedom. Their courage and determination paved the way for a better Philippines, and their sacrifices will never be forgotten @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/i2c8ACwjWU

— Bonz Magsambol (@bnzmagsambol) February 25, 2024

“The post was removed because it was not approved by VP Sara Duterte. There was a system error in the social media team,” Duterte’s camp said. But the Viber message was later edited to include, “Please do not quote. Thank you.”

Reporters were dumbfounded as to why the OVP would release an explanation that was meant only for the media’s private consumption. Prior to the edited message, media had shared the original explanation, which drew criticism and sarcastic remarks, specifically on the “system error” reference.

Was it the Vice President’s way of showing that she was still on the same page as the President amid the repeated observation of political analysts that the Uniteam alliance has crumbled? Or was she, again, just being sensitive to public feedback? Remember her withdrawn request for confidential funds in 2024?

This year, Marcos did not declare the anniversary of the uprising as a holiday, upsetting democracy advocates who believe the move was meant to dismiss the legacy of the People Power revolution.

The Marcos dictatorship itself was considered among the darkest chapters in Philippine history. Human rights groups reported that some 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 people were tortured, and over 3,000 people were killed under the dictator’s rule.

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The Filipino people will never forget the atrocities during the Marcos Sr. regime, even if Duterte took down her EDSA message due to a “system error.” – Rappler.com