VICE President Sara Duterte said on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, that she is willing to undergo a televised neuropsychiatric exam amid concerns that she is suffering from a mental health problem.
“Wala akong problema doon. Game tayo. (I have no problem with that. I'm game.) I will call for that neuropsychiatric exam,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters, adding that she may also undergo a drug test.
However, she stated that she will only do it if those seeking a congressional seat for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections also undergo a drug test.
“As a voter, I demand that they undergo drug tests. Kayong lahat mga kababayan, you demand that the congressional candidates undergo drug tests because if I am unstable, in my opinion, they are also unstable,” she added.
(As a voter, I demand that they undergo drug tests. All of you fellow citizens, demand that the congressional candidates undergo a drug test because if I am unstable, I think they are also unstable.)
Duterte has been the subject of criticism for allegedly being “mentally unstable” after she mentioned in a press conference that she imagined cutting off President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s head at one point, as she realized that their relationship was becoming toxic.
She also shared that she threatened Senator Imee Marcos, saying she would exhume their father’s remains from the Libingan ng mga Bayani and throw them into the West Philippine Sea if the attacks against her did not stop.
Earlier, several lawmakers urged Duterte to undergo a psychological evaluation, as they perceived her comments as a “meltdown.”
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III suggested that Duterte should seek professional help to express her feelings.
Marcos’ son, Ilocos Norte First District Representative Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, expressed disdain over Duterte’s “abhorrent comments,” which he believes demonstrate her “insensitivity toward the dead and cruelty to the living.”
Meanwhile, President Marcos remained silent regarding Duterte’s tirades, simply smiling when asked to comment on her remark that he is an incompetent leader. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)