For the past few weeks, Sara Duterte has been the main character of the Internet. Whatever social media platform you scroll through, there will be clips of her arguing with a senator. Afterward, copy-paste memes of her words taken out of context. Of course, every comment section has endless debate threads between her supporters and detractors.

The vice president’s behavior in recent budget deliberations is to blame. Last August, when she was asked about confidential funds and her office’s budget, Sara quickly cried foul and accused the representatives of politicking the budget hearing. After members of Congress reprimanded this response, she resorted to personal attacks.

The first time it happened, Sara’s tirades became an internet sensation overnight. She may not like this reaction, but the entire country now awaits her next move.

This is precisely the problem with Duterte’s actions: though all eyes are on her, no one knows what all this is for. Her outbursts make her easier to criticize, while her supporters praise her for resisting the attacks of her rivals. She suffers either way.

The strongwoman persona she has meticulously crafted has already been compromised. The issue has been going on for so long that even if her allegations prove correct, the backlash will have irreparably tarnished her standing as the vice president. In place of her lost trust, Sara gained the title of the nation’s brat.

Right to the core

“Testigo ko ang buong bayan na hindi ako spoiled brat,” answered the vice president in an interview. She has claimed that the criticisms of her being a brat are alleged organized attacks on her reputation. Duterte has also vehemently denied ever abusing her power.

History says otherwise, but her records tell us that this is nothing new for her. Among others, Sara has made headlines for punching a court sheriff during her reign as Davao City Mayor. She has also repeatedly red-tagged critics, like party-list ACT Teachers and its representative France Castro, who once questioned her DepEd leadership. In fact, even the public may be familiar with this behavior, especially after the rule of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Her record has immediately dismissed her accusation that the “bratinella” title is a recent attack on her image. After all the headlines she’s made, it’d be easier for the public to search for these past incidents and recognize patterns in her behavior. If anything, her character has been fully unraveled.

Smart moves or self-sabotage?

Sara is stuck in a major political feud after the collapse of her UniTeam alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. After the split, Sara has been painting herself as part of the opposition. Thus, it’s not far-fetched to say that some people want her out.

Several Congress members have since denied accusations of the plot to impeach her, but Sara insists and uses it to justify her refusal to cooperate with the legislative. Regardless, lashing out at the entire legislative department seems counterproductive.

Sara and her supporters may think that her outbursts are acts of resistance. However, the more she disrespects the system of checks and balances, the more vulnerable she is to criticism and actual consequences. She could very much be speeding up her downfall. In fact, her refusal to explain the use of controversial funds has already earned her a warning for a possible graft complaint.

It could be said that Sara can turn to the public if she’s already lost the favor of other politicians. That could be true—at least before she became the face of different online jokes. Her pursuit of resistance backfired. The public sees her as the face of Isang Kaibigan or shiminet now; for this and the reasons listed below, Sara has lost significant public sympathy.

Wish she’d talk talk

(Photo from the House of Representatives/Facebook)

Between the controversial Alice Guo and this, it’s safe to say that Filipinos have had their fill of meandering interrogations. Every lie told and question avoided is frustrating. It all feels like a mockery of not just the government but the public at large.

There are no unimportant questions for those in positions of power. Sara Duterte is not exempted from this—especially when it comes to discussion of public funds. At the very least, Filipinos deserve to know how their taxes are spent. Her silence on these questions, like when Rep. Castro asked about her 2022 confidential funds, is a betrayal of the trust that put her in the second-highest position in the country.

The best Sara can do is just talk, even if it’s just to save face. Her constant push-and-pull with other government institutions is digging her a deeper hole. She has to bow to the powers of Congress; otherwise, she loses her budget and support. After all that’s happened, answering honestly could be the only way to save the sinking ship. But even this seems far-fetched as she has refused to even take an oath of honesty.

Who knows what to make out of this mess? Maybe Sara really has something up her sleeve, but even so, she already gave her critics enough ammunition to break down her credibility as a public official. Even the most persistent trolls have nothing to defend her. Indeed, her chances of redemption are likely slim.

She’s completely cornered. But make no mistake, even if Sara takes this fall, the entire country will bear the damage. Sara’s evasion of her responsibilities clearly disregards the citizens, who deserve honest and transparent leaders—not those who dismiss the same.