Featured image above shows Vice President Inday Sara Z. Duterte (in her trademark green) with PCCI officials in an event photo-op. On her right (in gold hue of yellow) is Consul Eunice V. Mangio, PCCI President. (Photo: SDN)
“Neuro psychiatrict exam, I have no problem with that. We are game. We’ll call that neuro psychiatrict exam, but let’s make this an election issue.”
— Vice President Inday Sara Z. Duterte
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- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN — SciTech and Digital News
MARRIOTT HOTEL, Pasay City, October 22, 2024 (SDN) — Vice President Inday Sara Z. Duterte has no problem about undergoing a neuro psychiatrict test again — her would-be third.
She accepted the dare of some congressmen, but in return the second highest official of the land returned the challenge, asking congressmen to undergo a drug test publicly and by a reputable medical organization.
This was her bold response which she enunciated during an impromptu press conference at the Grand Ballroom of Marriott Hotel in this urban jungle in the National Capital Region (NCR) as she was swarmed all over by a host of reporters.
She just finished her Keynote Address which she delivered at the 5oth Philippine Business Conference and Expo (PBCO) organized and hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) under the leadership of the group’s president, Consul Eunice V. Mangio. At least 1,000 attendees came for the first day of the October 22-23 event, among them the Who’s Who in the Philippine business community.
“Neuro psychiatrict exam, I have no problem with that. We are game. We’ll call that neuro psychiatrict exam, but let’s make this an election issue,” the Vice President emphasizes as she gamely fielded questions from the thronged of reporters, who can’t seem to have enough of her.
“Those ‘young guns’, I am sure because they are young, they’ll be going for re-election. They are running as re-electionists, so what we will do I will have two tests because they were saying I am ‘unstable’. The way I look at them, they are also unstable, isn’t it?
“Why? They’ll attack and when those that they attacked replied they become angry, they call them unstable. So, for me you are also unstable. Why are you attacking me?”
Allies of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ratcheted their attacks on the Vice President, issuing statements at her after she said she would dig Marcos, Sr. up at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and throw his remains into the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Duterte, who resigned as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) as her rift with Marcos, Jr. became more pronounced, held what she dubbed her “Drag me to hell” press conference on October 18 at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) Central Office in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.
It was SDN — SciTech and Digital News that asked her in that previous press conference on what she thought now of her father former President Rodrigo R. Duterte staking his political life when he gave the signal to bury Marcos, Jr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) in Taguig City, Metro Manila. It was the elder Duterte’s campaign promise which he proceeded to fulfill, demonstrating his political will not present with all the presidents before him.
Watch, part of her Keynote Address at the event: https://youtu.be/2z5_V2D15jw?si=fthDLN_BjMEVgCv_
Her response then:
“I don’t know. But one time, I told Senator Imee (Marcos), are you not going to stop? I’ll dig up your father and throw him into the West Philippine Sea. I said that to Senator Imee. I’ll go there (Libingan ng mga Bayani). I’ll get the remains of your father. I’ll throw it into the West Philippine Sea.”
Her answer on SDN‘s question was picked up by the Philippine media organizations and has since become a viral piece of news.
That raised the hell from the allies of the administration, from the House of Representatives to the Senate and all those in between. Meaning, even some individuals and organizations who saw the opportunity to join the “fun”, so to speak. Many are still taking the cudgel and hitting the Vice President.
The Vice President seemed to say she’ll gave the so-called “young guns” in Congress a “partida”: she’ll have two tests.
“I can do two tests: neuro psychiatrict exam and drug test. But all the young guns, all congressional candidates must undergo drug test. As a voter, I am asking the candidates for Congress in my district in Davao City. I remember Margarita Nograles and Paolo Duterte (her brother), and as a voter I demand they undergo a drug test,” Sara Duterte says at the Marriott Hotel press conference.
She then addressed the Filipino voters.
“All of my countrymen as voters, you should demand congressional candidates to undergo drug test because if they see me as unstable, in my view they are also unstable.”
She said why should her attackers get angry when the subject of their attacks responded.
“So, we call on the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), the psychiatric society to set the guidelines for all of us. We need independent third-party hair folicle testing, that is why we are asking the help of the PMA to set the guidelines. So, when’s the test? When they accept, we are OK.”
The Vice President said the test should not be conducted three months after her call because the congressional candidates will not take drugs for three months.
She emphasized the drug test should be conducted now, as in presently, for everybody, adding she will have additional neuro psychiatrict test.
“This is not the first time I will undergo a neuro psychiatrict exam. I underwent neuro pyschiatrict exam when I applied as PAO (Public Attorney’s Office) lawyer, and I had another for a court case. So, this will be my third time in case they (the congressional candidates) accept my challenge. The problem with today’s politicians they have never seen a politician who has nothing to lose,” the Vice President says.
“I am not like them. The tendency in this kind of people they will say you are crazy or mad. I am not desperate. I am the Vice President of the Philippines. So, what should I be desperate about?”
The Vice President recalled when “they” did it to the late senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, calling her “crazy”.
“But they cannot do it to me today. All the psychiatrist tests you want. Let’s go. If you want. let’s have (the tests) televised. The guidelines should be set in place, and not make it secret,” she says.
“They are the ones pushing me. They are gas lighting me. But when I talked back, they got angry. If only they left me in Davao City…at the Department of Education (DepEd). I was just working. I did nothing against them.” (/)
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This story was updated to correct some terms or words.