OPINION

The hoax that is Sara Duterte

Perhaps most infuriating about Sara’s fakery is the attempt to cast herself as a martyr, comparing her impeachment to a ‘crucifixion.’

Atty. Melvin Alvarez Matibag

Sara Duterte has long cultivated an image of unyielding toughness, a political warrior unafraid to confront her enemies head-on. Her recent remarks about her looming impeachment trial and the actions of her enablers in the Senate, however, reveal a carefully crafted facade — one that masks cowardice and vulnerability as strength.

In a recent interview, Duterte spoke about her legal team’s preparations for an impeachment trial, stating, “In full throttle na ‘yung kanilang preparation for the impeachment. And, of course, they would not want a trial as lawyers. As lawyers, alam naman natin ang galawan ng mga abogado, ‘no, marami silang mga paraan sa batas as a legal recourse for their clients. But I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath talaga.”

This interview is telling. Duterte boasted about wanting a “bloodbath” during her impeachment trial, painting herself as eager for battle. Yet in the same breath, she admitted her lawyers are working “in full throttle” to avoid that very trial. This isn’t just a contradiction; it exposes the hoax that is Sara Duterte — a political fraud who projects invincibility but, in reality, is just a coward behind the threats.

Think about the audacity: she threatens a “bloodbath” while her legal team desperately scrambles to prevent a trial from happening. If Sara Duterte truly believes in her innocence, if the corruption charges are as baseless as she claims, why is her first instinct to run? Why deploy every legal and political trick to avoid being faced with the evidence?

The answer is obvious and damning: Her lawyers know what we all suspect — that under oath, under scrutiny, under the harsh light of a transparent trial, Sara Duterte’s house of cards will collapse.

Sara and her enablers’ efforts to derail the process through procedural delays and political influence in the Senate are only about her preservation. Her alleged crimes aren’t abstract legal matters; they’re attacks on every Filipino family struggling to make ends meet.

The Senate, as mandated by the 1987 Philippine Constitution, has a solemn duty to hear impeachment complaints. The Senate must not abandon this duty. There are no other legal theories or schools of thought. All roadblocks and monkey wrenches thrown to sabotage the trial — whether through political deals or public posturing — are tactics prioritizing Sara Duterte’s personal and political survival over the interest of the Filipino people.

Perhaps most infuriating about Sara’s fakery is the attempt to cast herself as a martyr, comparing her impeachment to a “crucifixion.” This melodramatic nonsense is an insult to every Filipino’s intelligence.

Sara Duterte was born into political royalty, inheriting power she never earned, and has wielded that privilege without consequence for years. Now, when finally faced with accountability, she has the gall to play victim? She dares compare facing justice for alleged crimes to religious persecution?

This is the same person who dismissed her father’s political party as a “sitcom,” who has made a career of stealing confidential funds while building nothing positive in return. Her pattern is clear: create chaos, avoid responsibility, and when cornered, play the victim card.

The senators tasked with hearing the impeachment case must rise above political pressures and act with integrity. They must subject themselves to introspection, recognizing that their decisions will shape the nation’s democratic future. They must admit that they don’t really like Sara Duterte. Her power rests entirely on manufactured popularity, not genuine leadership or achievement. Political allies don’t respect her — they fear the backlash from her supporters. Remove that popularity and watch how quickly the political rats abandon the sinking ship.

This artificial foundation explains her desperate attempts to avoid trial. She knows, everyone knows, that under cross-examination, without scripted responses or friendly media, her carefully constructed image will shatter. The “tough” Sara Duterte will be exposed as someone who can’t handle real pressure, real questions, or real accountability.

The Senate has a choice: uphold the Constitution and give Filipinos the justice they deserve, or become complicit in protecting a coward and a hoax who sees justice as optional.

The Filipino people have suffered enough. The hoax must end now.