Wazzup Pilipinas!?
In the face of an imminent impeachment trial threatening to expose her alleged misuse of ₱650 million in confidential funds and other grave accusations—ranging from plunder to betrayal of public trust—Vice President Sara Duterte has found a cunning refuge: diversion through disinformation. But her recent forays into geopolitical commentary go far beyond mere deflection—they suggest allegiance to a narrative not her own, one that eerily mirrors Beijing’s. And it’s not only dangerous—it’s treacherous.
Sara Duterte is no longer just dodging accountability. She’s performing a new role in what could very well be a foreign-scripted political play. Her recent public statements—delivered from overseas platforms—are not just tone-deaf. They are strategically calibrated to downplay China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), redirect outrage toward allies like the United States, and confuse a nation already grappling with disinformation fatigue. This isn’t leadership. It’s a textbook case of subversion masquerading as neutrality.
Projection and Propaganda: The Vice President’s Political Sleight of Hand
On June 22, in Melbourne, Australia—ironically while calling it a “personal trip”—VP Duterte publicly declared that the country’s maritime conflict with China “does not define our China relations.” She even questioned the utility of strengthening ties with the United States, deriding hypothetical defense scenarios as absurd. “Where will you use the missile? Who would wage war in our country?” she asked mockingly, as if our soldiers and fisherfolk weren’t already under attack by Chinese vessels within our Exclusive Economic Zone.
These statements didn’t just echo the rhetoric from Beijing—they almost quoted it. From dismissing escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea to undermining the Philippines’ defense agreements, Sara Duterte’s foreign policy commentary suspiciously mirrors the very nation militarizing our reefs and bullying our boats.
This isn’t just tone-deafness. It’s projection as political strategy—accusing others of warmongering while ignoring her own role in inflaming divisions at home. Instead of addressing her impeachment charges, she reroutes national focus to foreign policy theater. Rather than confront questions of fiscal abuse, she flirts with foreign narratives. This is deception by design.
Gaslighting the Filipino Psyche: The Case of San Juanico Bridge
Sara’s manipulation didn’t end with geopolitics. In a bizarre tirade against a Philippine Airlines ad that described the iconic San Juanico Bridge as “not long enough” for tourism, she doubled down—calling the landmark unworthy of being a tourist attraction and instead pointing to a 264-kilometer bridge in China as the “real” standard.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t about engineering. It was a deliberate attempt to devalue Filipino identity, diminish national heritage, and glorify China—at a time when the country’s sovereignty is under siege. Sara wasn’t simply offering an opinion on bridges. She was injecting cultural self-doubt, sowing the seeds of inferiority, and doing so while trying to erase scrutiny over her questionable use of taxpayer money.
Gaslighting isn’t always aggressive. Sometimes, it’s as subtle as mocking our landmarks or redefining “tourism” with Chinese benchmarks. And it’s always calculated to make us question what we know to be true.
Avoidance as Doctrine: A Vice President in Flight, Not in Service
Instead of addressing the Senate’s calls for transparency or facing impeachment head-on, Sara Duterte has chosen a globe-trotting strategy of delay and deflection. From her Australia visit, where she lobbied for her detained father and accused President Marcos Jr. of being a "scammer," to her refusal to directly answer summons in the Philippines, every step she takes seems choreographed to blur accountability.
Her legal team’s use of ad cautelam appearances—a tactic to dispute jurisdiction without showing full cooperation—only reinforces her effort to weaponize technicalities over truth. She is not defending herself. She is fleeing from scrutiny in slow motion, hoping the noise she generates will outlast the justice she owes.
Manchurian Candidate: A Trojan Horse in Philippine Leadership?
The term Manchurian Candidate has become shorthand for leaders who, wittingly or not, advance the interests of foreign powers. It’s no longer a conspiracy theory when the evidence plays out in real time, in public statements, and on international stages.
Sara Duterte has consistently:
Downplayed China's militarization of the West Philippine Sea
Questioned the Philippines' defense partnership with the U.S.
Ridiculed Philippine infrastructure while glorifying China's
Parroted Beijing’s diplomatic language in policy discussions
This isn’t mere rhetoric—it’s a disturbing alignment with a country actively undermining our sovereignty. When our Vice President starts sounding more like a Chinese diplomat than a Filipino official, alarm bells must ring—not out of paranoia, but out of patriotic duty.
The Inconvenient Truth About Debt and Deflection
In Melbourne, Sara had the audacity to ask, “Nasaan ang inutang?”—referring to the Philippines’ ₱16.6 trillion national debt. But here’s what she failed to mention: ₱12.8 trillion of that debt was incurred during the Duterte administration, under her own father. The Marcos Jr. administration added the remaining ₱3.96 trillion due to pandemic recovery and infrastructure needs.
By pointing fingers at PBBM over the debt, Sara wasn’t asking questions—she was rewriting history. She was gaslighting the nation into forgetting where the lion’s share of the borrowing began: under Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure. This is not a call for fiscal transparency. It’s political externalization—classic psychological projection in action.
The Damage Done: Sovereignty for Sale?
When the country’s second-highest official begins to behave like a propaganda arm of a foreign state, we are no longer just witnessing poor governance. We are confronting a national security risk.
Sara Duterte’s words carry weight. When she downplays territorial incursions, she weakens our diplomatic leverage. When she questions our alliances, she emboldens our enemies. And when she mocks national symbols in favor of foreign benchmarks, she insults every Filipino who ever believed in the nation’s dignity.
This isn’t just incompetence. It is subversion wearing the mask of public service.
2028 and Beyond: A Cautionary Preview
As Duterte eyes a presidential run in 2028, the nation must ask: What kind of leader weaponizes disinformation to evade accountability? What kind of candidate praises an aggressor while condemning her own people’s protectors? What kind of Filipino undermines the Philippines?
If Sara Duterte becomes president, will she govern the nation—or serve the narrative of a foreign power?
Filipinos deserve answers, not smoke screens. We deserve leaders who protect the truth, not distort it. We deserve a government grounded in principle—not propaganda.
Final Word: We Must Not Be Silent
In a time of creeping foreign occupation, domestic gaslighting, and systemic avoidance, silence is complicity. To remain quiet is to accept that our waters, our history, and our dignity can be traded for political convenience.
We must expose the propaganda, reject the projection, and demand truth.
Because the future of the Republic is not a campaign slogan. It’s a line in the sand.
And it’s up to all of us—citizens, patriots, Filipinos—to defend it.
Reject the double-speak. Confront the lies. Defend the Philippines.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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