MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said on Saturday, October 19, that Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent tirades against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a televised press briefing were “unbecoming of the second highest official of the land.”

“Sana maging mas maingat sa mga salitang binibitiwan. Bahagi marahil ang paglalabas ng sama ng loob sa buhay ng tao pero hindi siguro rason ‘yun at lisensya na buksan ang paggamit ng mga salita na napapakinggan ng bata man o matanda,” Escudero said.

(Please be more careful with the words you speak. Expressing frustration may be part of human life, but that shouldn’t be an excuse or a license to use words that can be heard by both children and adults.)

The Senate President was reacting to Duterte’s two-hour press briefing on Friday, October 18, where she criticized the Marcos family, claiming they used her to win the presidency. The Vice President also recounted a supposed conversation with the President’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos, in which she threatened to exhume the late dictator’s body from the Libingan ng Mga Bayani and throw it into the West Philippine Sea if they didn’t stop their political attacks against her.

It was during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte that former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was allowed a hero’s burial amid criticism from various groups.

“Unbecoming ang mga ganyang uri ng pahayag lalo na sa pangalawang pinakamataas na opisyal ng ating bansa,” Escudero said. (Such statements are unbecoming, especially coming from the second highest official of our country.)

In that press briefing, the Vice President also admitted that she daydreamed about cutting off Marcos’ head after an incident at a graduation ceremony, where a graduate asked for the President’s watch as a gift. Marcos didn’t give the watch, which Duterte claimed humiliated the student and showed his insincerity.

Escudero said the Vice President should have been more cirmcumspect in releasing public statements.

“Tulad ng marami, nagulat at hind ko inasahan ‘yun. Paalala lang sa ilang opisyal natin, isama na ‘yung sinabi ni (Davao City) Mayor Baste na dudurugin niya raw na parang Marawi ang Ilocos Norte kapag siya ay naging defense secretary, hindi ito salita na dapat ginagamit ng mga opisyal at hindi ito bagay na pwede idaan sa biro o isang katatawanan na kwento lamang,” he said.

(Like many, I was shocked and didn’t expect that. Just a reminder to some of our officials, including what Mayor Baste of Davao City said about crushing Ilocos Norte like Marawi when he becomes defense secretary—these are not words that officials should use, and they shouldn’t be treated as jokes or mere stories.)

Despite the political war between the two families, Escudero is optimitistic that they will be able settle their dispute.

“Sa tagal ko sa pulitika mas marami pa akong higit na mahiwaga pang napanood. May posibilidad ‘yun at ito ay mas makakabuti sa ating bansa sa aking paniniwala. Mabuti rin naman at hindi mapagpatol si number 1 sa mga patutsada ni number 2,” Escudero said. 

(In my long time in politics, I’ve seen even more mysterious things. That possibility exists, and I believe it would be better for our country. It’s also good that number 1 doesn’t engage with number 2’s jabs.)

In August, Escudero also came to the defense of the Marcos family, when he said that he was “perplexed” as to why Duterte was questioning the flood control program of the Marcos government when her father failed to address the problem during his six-year term.

Since leaving the Marcos Cabinet in June, the Vice President has been the focus of a congressional probe into her alleged misuse of funds. Her resignation as education secretary marked the collapse of the formidable “Uniteam” alliance that propelled the Marcos-Duterte tandem to victory in the 2022 elections. – Rappler.com