What led Vice President Sara Duterte to finally face the media?

The House probe into her alleged misuse of funds could have been the turning point for Vice President Sara Duterte, prompting her to call for her first press briefing since taking office in 2022. Previously, she had been evasive and selective about granting interviews to news outlets.

At around 1 pm on Wednesday, September 25, reporters covering Duterte were invited to a press briefing scheduled for 2:30 pm at the Vice President’s office in Mandaluyong. At that time, House lawmakers had introduced a whistleblower who alleged that Duterte had given her envelopes of money during her tenure at the Department of Education (DepEd) to influence her procurement decisions.

While waiting for the Vice President’s arrival, snacks were distributed, as directed by Duterte, according to her staff member. Minutes later, Duterte arrived at the press room, requesting that all questions be organized by issue so she could address them thoroughly — no holds barred.

She entered the briefing room with her hair perfectly styled, looking glamorous and very feminine. This was in stark contrast to her demeanor during budget briefings, when she refused to answer lawmakers’ questions and resorted to different antics to evade questions of her critics. These quickly earned her the “spoiled brat” label.

Duterte answered all questions from the media, addressing topics such as her controversial meeting with former vice president Leni Robredo, her trip to Calaguas Island during the House budget deliberations, and the bombshell revelations from the House probe.

The Vice President also dismissed resignation calls, saying that she would never step down from her position because 32 million Filipinos voted for her when she sought the second highest post in the country.

“Nilagay ako ng mga tao dito (I was put here by people) believing that I will work for the country. And that is what we did. We worked,” she said.

Duterte also addressed personal questions about how she and her family are managing the issues and controversies surrounding them. At one family dinner, Duterte shared that her father Rodrigo went through every member of the Duterte family, including the couples and exes.

“So, inisa-isa nila from the eldest apo, anong nangyayari, anong ginagawa. And then, sunod na apo, sunod na apo,” Sara Duterte narrated, when she was asked about a supposed family dinner and whether her father has been giving her advice on how to deal with politics.

(So, they went through each grandchild one by one, discussing what was happening, and what they were doing. Then, they moved on to the next grandchild, and the next.)

“Sasabihin lang ‘nun, sapakin mo na ‘yan, sunugin mo na ‘yan. PPRD is a jarhead. Alam naman natin lahat ‘yan. So, kung pupunta kay PPRD, ang may expect mo dun ay galit, sigaw, at ano, volcano eruption, ganyan, ganyan,” Duterte quipped.

(He would just said, just punch them, burn them. PPRD is a jarhead. We all know that. So, if you go to PPRD, you can expect anger, shouting, and, well, a volcanic eruption, that sort of thing.)

A political strategy?

The first organized press briefing lasted over an hour, and she didn’t limit questions from reporters. She remarked that since they had taken the time to be with her and braved the traffic, she might as well entertain all their questions.

“Kunin ‘nyo na lahat ng kailangan ninyo from me (Ask everything you need from me),” Duterte said when reporters asked her staff if the Vice President could entertain more questions.

When asked about the controversies, the Vice President said that she finds comfort in knowing she has not done anything wrong.

“Wala naman kasi talaga akong ginawang mali pero kung sa tingin nila meron man, dalhin nila kung saan, dalhin nila sa impeachment, dalhin nila sa korte, sasagutin namin…. Minsan ayaw ko na rin magsalita kasi nakakapagod na sila. Nakakapagod ‘yung galit nila actually. ‘Yun ‘yung nakakapagod,” Duterte said.

(I haven’t really done anything wrong, but if they think I have, they can bring it anywhere, to impeachment or to court, we’ll respond. Sometimes I don’t want to speak up anymore because they are exhausting. Their anger is exhausting. That’s what’s tiring.)

She concluded the press briefing by saying that she is a friend anyone can turn to in times of trouble.

“Pero kung meron kayong kaaway, maasahan ako. Tawagin ninyo ako. Basta away, maasahan talaga ako,” she added. (But if you have an enemy, you can count on me. Just call me. When it comes to fighting, you can really rely on me.)

Duterte approached her first press briefing in a friendly manner, seemingly eager to show her softer side or portray herself as the underdog. When asked if she regretted teaming up with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2022 elections, she replied that it would require a “sit-down” interview to fully address the question.

Was this a sign that she would face the media more frequently? Could it be a strategy of her camp to adopt a friendlier approach in hopes of gaining a platform from the media she once criticized? – Rappler.com