“Sanay na sanay?”
Such were the comments at Vice President Sara Duterte after she used hiring a gunman for P5,000 as an example while discussing gun violence in the Philippines.
Duterte made the remarks during a “Free Duterte Now” protest in front of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday, July 29.
“They cannot even say right now if the victims are truly victims of the drug war,” she said, referring to the ICC.
“Because gun violence is so common in the Philippines. I have a husband. My husband has a mistress. I can hire a gunman for P5,000 to kill the mistress!” Duterte added, referring to her spouse, lawyer Mans Carpio.
“That is how — for P5,000 — that is how bad gun violence in the Philippines is. And that is, again, EJK [extrajudicial killing]. So how can you say that all your listed victims, all your listed complainants, are supposed victims of the drug war?” she continued, referring to the ICC.
Clips of the moment went viral, especially amid the impeachment complaints against her stemming from her alleged assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and the president’s cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“So ba’t alam mo magkano? Ahahhaha Freudian slip siya eh,” an online user quipped.
“OMG OMG OMG! Paano mo alam, Madam Vice President Nasubukan mo na? Freudian slip!” political commentator Jesus Falcis wrote in jest, adding laughing and crying emojis.
A Freudian slip is a verbal mistake that occurs when a person unintentionally says or writes something different from what they intended.
The American Psychological Association defines it as “an unconscious error or oversight in writing, speech, or action that is held to be caused by unacceptable impulses breaking through the ego’s defenses and exposing the individual’s true wishes or feelings.”
“Sobrang casual, ahahaha, sanay na sanay,” another Filipino commented about Duterte’s remarks.
“Alam na alam. Kasi gawain niya,” a different Facebook user wrote, adding a laughing emoji.
Among the impeachment complaints against Duterte are allegations stemming from her remarks that she had contracted an individual to kill the First Couple and Romualdez should she herself be killed.
The vice president made the remarks during an online press briefing in November 2024.
Rep. Terry Ridon (Bicol Saro party-list) said that Duterte’s comments should not distract from the allegations involving her P612.5 million in confidential funds, which are being tackled in the Senate impeachment court.
He made the statement following the testimony of two former Land Bank of the Philippines branch managers before the impeachment court. The witnesses presented checks, bank records and sworn testimony related to the encashment of confidential funds.
“She may try to change the conversation, but she cannot make the checks, bank records and sworn testimony disappear,” Ridon, a House prosecutor, said.
He also stressed that government officials should not normalize rhetoric involving violence.
Sara’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, has also faced criticism over his violent rhetoric during his presidency, including remarks directed at drug users and other alleged criminals.
Rodrigo had publicly discussed shoot-to-kill directives in several speeches.
His administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign has drawn international scrutiny, with the former president now facing proceedings before the ICC in The Hague.
