'AI ba 'to?': Pimentel advises Sara Duterte to seek help after fiery tirade
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s most recent outburst has raised eyebrows from across the political spectrum, with Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel saying that she should seek counsel for how she was feeling.
On October 18, Sara took a note from her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte and went on a fiery tirade, with her target being none other than her former running mate President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“Nagulat ako, sabi ko ‘AI (artificial intelligence) ba ito?’ Hindi naman, totoo pala, so it’s really unusual,” Pimentel said during a press briefing on Monday, October 21.
(I was surprised, I said ‘Is this AI?’ It was not, so it’s really unusual.)
During the two hour rant, Sara appears to have cut all ties with the Marcoses. She accused Bongbong of being an incompetent leader and admitted to fantasizing about cutting his head off.
“I was worried for her. In my opinion, she needs to talk to some professionals, and maybe some close friends and family,” Pimentel said in a mix of English and Filipino
The opposition lawmaker seems to be coming from a place of concern for the vice president. Pimentel said that Sara should have a proper outlet, explaining that the things she said in public were unusual and strange.
While he said he did not watch the whole briefing, Pimentel saw the parts where Sara imagined that she would behead Bongbong, as well as the part where she said she threatened to throw the body of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. into the West Philippine Sea.
“Na-verbalize niya yung naisip niya, pero yung naisip niya, hindi usual, so siguro kailangan mayroon siyang makausap na mas marunong sa atin,” Pimentel.
(She verbalized what she thought, but what she was thinking was not usual, so maybe she needs someone to talk to that knows more about this than us.)
'Silver lining.' However, Pimentel said that there was still a silver lining to Sara’s harsh words, as there was someone willing to criticize the administration.
“There is someone, some party, some group checking the administration,” Pimentel said.
Asked if he wished that Bongbong and Sara would make peace, Pimentel said that while he wished someone would attempt to mediate, he would not be surprised if these attempts failed.
“Best effort nalang,” Pimentel said.
To some, Sara’s two hour tirade feels like a fever dream. During that briefing, Sara called herself the president of hell, saying that the entire country was on the way there.
A Duterte practice. Her father, Rodrigo, also occasionally engaged in a similar rhetoric, making wild, viral comments while refusing to directly answer concerns about policy and governance.
During Sara’s press briefing, she was not able to address allegations of misusing funds in the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
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