Vice President Sara Duterte will not attend the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 28, the House said on Thursday.

This marks the second year that Duterte will not attend the address. Duterte has been impeached by the House of Representatives for the use of her confidential funds and alleged assassination plots against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. which she has denied.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco told reporters that they have received a letter from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) citing that she will not attend.

Velasco said that no reason was provided by Duterte.

"We have received a letter from the office that she is not attending but we are not excluding the possibility that she will attend so there'll be a seat reserved for her at the center of the gallery", he said.

"So if she decides to come there will be a seat for her and her immediate staff. In fact we will designate the holding room for our Vice President and her staff as we have done in the past", he added.

Duterte skipped the third SONA of Marcos in 2024 after she tendered her resignation as the Secretary of the Department of Education on June 19, 2024. Marie Manalili/DMS