Vice President Sara Duterte issued a bold challenge to lawmakers running for the 2025 elections, calling for neuropsychiatric and drug tests after facing accusations of mental instability.
Duterte, responding to critics who labeled her “unhinged,” declared that she’s prepared to undergo both tests herself, adding that lawmakers should do the same—especially those eyeing reelection.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Philippine Business Conference and Expo, Duterte didn’t hold back, taking aim at Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla for his remarks on possible legal action regarding her threat to exhume the remains of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Duterte quipped that Remulla, as a lawyer, should know the difference between talking about desecration and actual desecration, stating, “It seems he’s slow to understand.”
Her challenge was swiftly met with acceptance by several lawmakers, including Rep. Margarita Nograles and Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega, who both agreed to undergo drug tests.
Ortega, however, suggested that Duterte should first testify under oath about specific issues before taking the tests.
Duterte’s outburst came after tension with Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, who condemned her threats to exhume his grandfather’s remains.
Marcos described her remarks as crossing the line and expressed concerns about mental health, hoping Duterte was “okay.”
The relationship between Duterte and President Marcos, once strong allies, has visibly fractured.
Their public feud has intensified since Duterte’s resignation from the Cabinet in June, with accusations of internal plotting against her from Marcos’ political circle.
Despite this, Duterte has yet to reveal specific details regarding her earlier claims of impeachable offenses against the president.
Their alliance in 2022, which won them the two highest offices in the country, now seems like a distant memory, with their political fallout capturing the public’s attention as the nation inches closer to the next election cycle.
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