Vice President Sara Duterte labeled President Marcos’ remarks about the Middle East conflict on Philippine economy as “intellectually challenged,” the same term she used to describe some other officials of the Marcos administration.

“Well, we’re not surprised. We have leaders who are intellectually challenged at the moment,” she replied when asked about her reaction regarding Marcos’ remarks.

The President said last Wednesday, June 25, that after assessing the effects of the Israel-Iran tension, his economic team found that the tensions in the Middle East have no significant effect on the Philippine economy.

During an interview in Davao City, the Vice President also called Marcos a “liar” after failing to deliver on his campaign promise of P20 rice.

“May sasabihin sila ngayon, tapos iba yung sasabihin nila sa susunod, pero hindi sila nagsinungaling. Ang tawag dyan ay --- hindi ko alam anong tawag diyan --- sinungaling (They’ll say something now then say something entirely different next time, but they are not liars. You call that—I don’t know what to call it—liars),” she said while laughing.

The country’s second highest official also hit Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla for surrendering former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC), adding that it is an insult as a Filipino and to the judges.

“Intellectually challenged ang move na sasabihin mo na hindi ka na lang as Justice Secretary. Hindi ka na lang mag-imbestiga at mag pursue ng kaso (The move as Justice Secretary not to investigate and pursue the case [here] is intellectually challenged),” she said.

She stressed that “as a sovereign country who already withdrew from the ICC, we are not obliged to cooperate with the ICC.”

The former president has been detained at the ICC facility since March 12 after being arrested a day prior at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

Duterte denied being emotional when she called the administration “stupid,” stating that she was “not angry” but only “stating a matter of fact.”

“Nakita niyo naman ako paano ako maging emotional, hindi pa ako umaabot doon (You saw how I can be emotional, I haven’t reached that point yet). I’m just stating a fact. But really, kulang-kulang ‘yung braincells nung mga taong nagsasalita para sa administration (those speaking for the administration are lacking braincells),” she said.

Stressing that her recent statement regarding being a frontrunner in the 2028 presidential elections was not a “diversionary tactic,” the official hit back at the administration for doing “a classic political scapegoating.”

“What they are doing is what is called political scapegoating. Kapag walang nangyayari sa administrasyon mo at walang ginagawa yung principal o yung presidente, ang gagawin nila is magtuturo ng ibang tao (When nothing is being done in your administration and your principal or president isn’t doing anything, what they are going to do is point at other people),” she explained.

“Kapag merong kwestyon sa kawalan ng ginagawa ng administrasyon, ang gagawin nila ay magtuturo sa ibang tao para nawawala yung tanong at parang nagugulo ang mga tao (When there are questions about the administration’s lack of programs, what they’re going to do is point at other people to cover up the questions and confuse the people),” she added.

The Vice President cited as an example the “extraordinary rendition” of her father after questions on the “blank” items on the national budget and after a “personal scandal” allegedly involving a member of the First Family in the United States.

Duterte also pointed out that an impeachment case was filed against her after a People’s Initiative campaign to amend the Constitution, wherein the Office of the Vice President (OVP) will be removed and the Philippines will move to a parliamentary form of government, did not materialize.

“So that is political scapegoating. Yung wala kang ginagawa, so magtuturo ka na lang ng ibang tao para makalimutan yung kawalan ng proyekto, kawalan ng programa, kawalan ng kaayusan sa ating bansa (When you’re not doing anything, you’re going to use other people to forget about the lack of projects, lack of programs, lack of stability in our country),” she said.

“So, assuming hindi totoo yung presidential election sa 2028, klaro naman sa timeline kung paano nila ginagawa yung pag-atake ng kanilang political opponents para makalimutan ang kanilang mga kabalbalan (So, assuming that the presidential election in 2028 is not true, it is clear based on the timeline how they are attacking their political opponents so the people will forget about their ineptness),” Duterte added.