Legislators on Friday strongly condemned Vice President Sara Duterte for her outrageous threat to desecrate the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., accusing her of using it as a desperate attempt to divert attention from the scandals she currently faces.
“Bastos at desperada (Rude and desperate),” was how House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong (Lanao del Sur, 1st District) and 1-Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, described the Vice President.
The lawmakers condemned Duterte’s latest remarks as a disgraceful tactic, with Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon echoing that it was indeed a “desperate and disrespectful” attempt to sidetrack the real issues at hand.
“Threatening to desecrate the dead just to shift the narrative is utterly unacceptable,” Adiong continued. “The Vice President must answer the allegations against her, not stoop to such shameful actions.”
Adiong condemned Duterte’s comments as “a new low in public discourse” and “a direct attack on our cultural values.”
“This isn’t just political banter—it’s a blatant act of desecration. In our culture, we honor the dead. To use them as pawns in a political game is disgusting,” Adiong said. “Vice President Duterte should focus on addressing the misuse of public funds instead of resorting to such disgraceful tactics.”
Gutierrez expressed his outrage, stating that Duterte’s actions clearly showed her desperation.
“This is pure desperation. Instead of facing the allegations head-on, VP Duterte resorts to vile threats,” Gutierrez emphasized. “It’s a clear attempt to divert attention, but no amount of disrespect will cover up her mismanagement.”
The lawmakers’ condemnation came after Duterte’s shocking claim that she told Sen. Imee Marcos she would throw the late president’s remains into the West Philippine Sea.
The comment came amid increasing scrutiny of Duterte’s handling of public funds in both the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), where she served as Secretary for two years until her resignation in July this year.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, Duterte consistently refused to attend congressional hearings to clear her name and address the accusations against her.
Duterte faces multiple allegations of mismanaging confidential and intelligence funds, with critics questioning the lack of transparency and accountability in how these resources were allocated and spent.
An ongoing congressional probe is focused on claims that DepEd’s funds were misappropriated for questionable programs, while the OVP’s expenditures are also under close examination.
These unresolved issues have intensified public and legislative calls for Duterte to be held accountable for the alleged misuse of public money, further fueling suspicions that her inflammatory remarks are an attempt to distract from these growing controversies.
‘Desperately rude:’ House members condemn VP Sara on latest rants
