What began as an ambitious power grab she and her allies initiated in Congress has ended in humiliating defeat for Vice President Sara Duterte, the self-styled Bratinella of Philippine politics.

Once positioned as a dominant force poised to extend the Duterte dynasty’s rule, Sara’s chaotic gambit to wrest power from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has backfired spectacularly. Instead of consolidating her position, she has alienated allies, squandered political capital, and hastened the downfall of her family’s once-formidable political empire.

Sara’s move to seize control was not subtle. She sought to position herself as the real center of power in the Marcos administration — demanding control of both the military and the national budget. In her mind, President Marcos Jr. owed her the presidency, an entitlement that emboldened her to disrespect him without regard for the institution he represents. This blatant disregard is not just arrogance, it’s dangerous.

Sara’s seething obsession with power appears to have triggered her mental instability. Her open letter to the National Security Council was widely perceived as the work of one showing signs of a narcissistic personality disorder. The public perception is crystallizing around the idea that disorder reigns in Sara’s head, manifesting in public outbursts, profanity, and erratic behavior unbecoming her office. The verbal attacks against the President — her superior in the hierarchy of power- exposed a disorganized mind incapable of self-restraint and strategic thinking.

Worse, this mental chaos has not remained confined to her person but has seeped into the realm of national politics, creating an atmosphere of dysfunction and discord. Therefore, Sara the Bratinella equals disorder raised to the second power.

In a misguided attempt to defend her, Senator Bato dela Rosa said Sara was merely showing her authentic self. While authenticity might explain her initial popularity, her unraveling has revealed that authenticity without substance is just noise. Her tantrums, devoid of any reason or strategy, have alienated supporters and painted her as unfit to lead.

Sara’s lack of strategic foresight became even more evident in her open challenge to the Commander-in-Chief. She miscalculated Marcos Jr.’s ability to consolidate power and underestimated the public’s growing disenchantment with the Duterte brand. Her profanity-laden attacks on the President and theatrical displays of outrage, far from rallying support, painted the image of one unhinged and a liability to the nation.

Sara’s last ditch effort to equate herself with the late opposition senator Ninoy Aquino and inspire a “people power” uprising was a master class in political delusion. From barber shops to social media, the ploy was met with ridicule. This political misstep revealed the undeniable reality: it is game over for Sara Duterte.

Once capable of summoning massive crowds and commanding unflinching loyalty, the Dutertes can no longer rally people to their cause. The crowds have dwindled, the energy has dissipated, and their influence has waned. Calls for support are now met with apathy, not action. The machinery that Rodrigo Duterte built during his presidency is breaking down under the weight of Sara’s miscalculations.

Sara’s power grab and obsessive antics made the House investigation into the intelligence funds a political question. The congressmen, after all, represent a political territory. The investigation has revealed to the public that there are systemic loopholes in the disbursement and liquidation of confidential funds that brought to existence and enabled Mary Grace Piattos.

Mary Grace Piattos revealed the authentic Sara — a noisy, power-thirsty Duterte — a bratinella. If the second envelope led to the downfall of President Joseph Estrada, Mary Grace Piattos has sealed the demise of Sara’s political ambitions.

To this we owe the Blue Ribbon and the Quadcomm investigations. Because of them, the country dodged a bullet. We cannot afford to have a leader with a temperament of Jinx and the mind of Silco. It is evident in Sara’s actions that she will do whatever it takes to grab power.

Fortunately, the institutions of power have realigned and the public sentiment has shifted against Sara who brings only chaos and disorder. Sara equals disorder raised to the second power has no place in a country seeking stability and growth.