Vice President Sara Duterte. | File photo
MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers on Saturday slammed the assassination remark of Vice President Sara Duterte, emphasizing that it is a diversionary tactic and her behavior needs a psychological assessment.
Duterte held an online press conference early Saturday morning where she said that if she was killed, she ordered someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. She also claimed that the order was “no joke.”
House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Representative Paolo Ortega V said that Duterte’s remarks are “reckless and dangerous” and “not normal.”
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“Hindi normal ang ganitong klase ng pahayag mula sa isang mataas na opisyal ng gobyerno. Dapat nating tanungin, nasa tamang pag-iisip pa ba si Vice President Duterte? These words are dangerous, reckless, and deeply concerning,” Ortega said in a statement.
(This kind of remark coming from a high-ranking government official is not normal. We should ask if Vice President Duterte is in the right state of mind. These words are dangerous, reckless, and deeply concerning.)
Professional help
He also said that Duterte should reflect on her words that might cause fear and that she should seek professional help if she can’t control her emotions.
“Ang ganitong klaseng salita ay hindi nakakatulong sa bayan. Sa halip na magkaisa, nagdudulot ito ng takot at pagkakawatak-watak,” Ortega noted.
(These kinds of words are not helping the country. Instead of uniting, these words cause fear and fall out.)
“Kung hindi niya kayang kontrolin ang kanyang emosyon at pahayag, baka panahon na para magpatingin siya sa eksperto,” he added.
(If she can’t control her emotions, maybe it is time to seek help from an expert.)
He also urged law enforcement agencies to probe Duterte’s remarks, emphasizing that it’s their obligation to ensure security of the country’s top leaders.
Active threat
The Presidential Communications Office in a statement on Saturday said that Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has referred the “active threat” to the Presidential Security Command “for immediate proper action.”
Meanwhile, House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun described the assassination remarks as a “deliberate diversion” from her alleged misuse of hundred millions peso worth of confidential funds.
“Huwag po tayong magpabudol. Ang tunay na isyu rito ay ang P612.5 milyon na confidential funds na kailangang ipaliwanag ng Bise Presidente sa publiko. Hindi dapat magpadala sa mga diversionary tactics na ganito,” Khonghun said in a separate statement.
(Let’s not be misled. The real issue here is the P612.5 million in confidential funds that the vice president needs to explain to the public.)
“Instead of addressing the allegations head-on, she is creating distractions that only sow fear and division,” Khonghun added.
Distraction
Taguig City 2nd District Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora also echoed the same sentiment, emphasizing that her call to face the members of the Blue Ribbon Committee is an opportunity for the vice president to explain confidential funds expenditures.
“No amount of distraction should divert attention from ferreting out the facts behind the use of confidential funds,” Zamora said in a separate statement.
“Kung seryoso siya sa pagiging lingkod-bayan, kailangan niyang humarap at magpaliwanag,” Zamora added.
(If she is serious about being a public servant, she must come forward and explain.)
Previous hearings had been probing the alleged misuse of the confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
A House probe found out that the OVP and the Department of Education submitted about 4,500 of acknowledgement receipts to the Commission on Audit to explain how they used P612.5 million of confidential funds.
Khonghun also urged the public and the lower chamber to “remain focused” on the issue of the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
“Ang pondo ng bayan ay para sa taumbayan, hindi para sa personal na interes. The people deserve transparency and accountability, not theatrics,” he stated.