Vice President Sara Duterte offered a challenge to lawmakers preparing to run in the 2025 elections, pushing them to take drug and neuropsychiatric testing. This comes after a few lawmakers accused her of having an unstable mind at her news appearance last Friday.
Duterte also slammed Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, accusing him of ignorance of the law. Remulla has proposed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate possible charges against her after she threatened to exhume former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s remains.
During an interview at the 50th Philippine Business Conference and Expo, Duterte responded firmly to lawmakers’ claims that she was “unhinged and mentally unstable.” She stated that she is ready to take both a drug test and a neuropsychiatric examination and challenged re-electionist lawmakers, including the Young Guns bloc, to take a hair follicle drug test.
“As a voter, I demand that they take a drug test, and I encourage the public to demand it from all congressional candidates,” Duterte said in Filipino. “If they think I’m unstable, I think they’re unstable too. Why get mad when I respond to their attacks?”
She specifically challenged PBA Rep. Margarita Ignacia Nograles, who will run against her brother, Rep. Paolo Duterte, to take the test. Both Nograles and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega said they are open to the challenge.
Nograles said, “Sure, I’ll schedule the tests in the coming days.”
Ortega added, “There’s no problem with taking a drug or neuropsychiatric test, but Duterte should first testify under oath before the Committee on Good Government.”
Duterte also fired back at Remulla, criticizing his comments about her threat to exhume Marcos Sr. from the Libingan ng mga Bayani. “Let’s pray for the Philippines because we have a justice secretary who doesn’t know the law,” Duterte said. She emphasized that talking about desecration is not the same as actual desecration, which she believes Remulla failed to grasp.
In response to Duterte’s remarks, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, the President’s son, condemned her comments. He said he couldn’t remain silent when she threatened to desecrate his grandfather’s remains and behead his father, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Marcos stated, “She crossed the line, abandoning the space for civil disagreement. This is a moment to remind ourselves of the importance of mental health, and I sincerely hope she is okay.”
Duterte, in turn, acknowledged that children naturally defend their parents, but refused to comment further on the matter.
She also mentioned her strained relationship with Senator Imee Marcos after Friday’s press conference, where she said Marcos did not respond to her message. Duterte explained that their friendship turned cold after the press conference.
When asked about Duterte’s recent remarks during an event for the Philippine Coast Guard, President Marcos simply smiled and walked away without answering.
Last week, Duterte claimed that the country was “on the road to hell” because Marcos “does not know how to be president.” She also hinted at having a list of impeachable offenses against him but declined to reveal any details.
Though they ran as a winning tandem in the 2022 elections, their relationship has deteriorated over the past two years. Duterte resigned from the Cabinet in June and accused Marcos’ allies in Congress of attempting to oust her from office.
