How could Vice President Sara Duterte stomach being silent on the recent sexist and misogynistic remarks about women?

This was the gist of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima's vitriol-filled privilege speech, which she ironically delivered on Monday night, March 9 during the traditional Women’s Month plenary session at the House of Representatives.

De Lima--who took on the role of minority leader during this special kind of session-- wondered out loud about the political implications of "The Sound of Sara’s Silence", referring to the Vice President.

"Sa gitna ito ng lantaran at tahasang pambabastos sa kababaihan (This is in the middle of the blatant and explicit disrespect of women), in the particular cases of Congressman [Bong] Suntay and Atty. [Ferdinand] Topacio, we also know that their remarks were uttered in light of the impeachment complaint against the Vice President herself,” De Lima said in her speech.

“Yan siguro ang paraan nila ng pagdepensa kay VP Sara. Gets po natin ‘yan, kahit bastos sila. Ang hindi natin gets ay kung bakit si VP Sara ay naaatim na manahimik kahit inaalipusta na ang mga babaeng gaya niya,” noted the former senator.

(That’s probably their way of defending VP Sara. We understand that, even if they’re rude. What we don’t understand is why VP Sara can stomach staying silent even as women like her are being insulted.)

“This is the sound of Sara’s silence.Hindi tayo pumapayag dito. Hindi tayo dapat pumayag dito (We do not agree with this. We shouldn't agree with this)," reckoned De Lima.

She implored Congress on the occasion of Women’s Month not to copy the Vice President’s silence.

"Dahil ang pagsawalang-kibo ay pakikisangkot. Dapat na hamunin at singilin natin ang ating mga pinuno kapag mali, kapag baluktok ang kanilang asal at salita, at kapag walang katwiran ang kanilang pagtikom ng bibig kung kailan kailangan,” De Lima said.

(Because silence is complicity. We must challenge and hold our leaders accountable when they are wrong, when their conduct and words are twisted, and when their silence is unjustifiable at moments when it is most needed.)

“We are told that sometimes action speaks louder than words. This is true. But oftentimes, inaction — or, should we say, omission or silence — can be the loudest speaker," underscored the ML lawmaker.

“And here it’s not enough that we call out the silence of the Vice President. And it’s not also enough that we point out that silence actually reflects on her character, on the type of woman and leader she really is," De Lima said of the declared 2028 presidential aspirant.

"That on the things that matter – women’s dignity, our country’s sovereignty, the rule of law in our land – we cannot count on her. Importante po ang mga puntong ito (There are important points). But our bigger point here is to confront the political message and symbolic meanings of that silence," she also said.

“Isn’t the dignity of women far more important to her than personal or partisan interests? Isn’t decency in public discourse weightier than political theatrics in pursuit of presidential ambition?” she added of Duterte.

De Lima also touched upon another issue where the Vice President was known to be mum on.

“Katulad din ba ito ng pananahimik ni VP Sara sa pananakop ng China sa ilang bahagi ng West Philippine Sea? Mas matimbang ba sa kanya ang suporta ng China sukdulang talikuran ang sariling bansa? Mas mabigat ba ang interes ng dayuhan kaysa sa ating soberanya?” she asked.

(Is this the same as VP Sara’s silence on China’s occupation of parts of the West Philippine Sea? Does China’s support weigh more heavily for her, to the point of abandoning her own country? Are foreign interests more important to her than our sovereignty?)

She says that during Women’s Month many public officials publicly express support for women’s empowerment but fail to live by those statements.

“Every March, many politicians and public personalities grab microphones and flood social media with their praises for the importance of women in various spheres and their commitments to women’s empowerment in different walks of life,” De Lima said.

“They preach equality, protest against discrimination, and proclaim loudly to be pro-women. Pero may ilan sa kanila na hindi naman isinasabuhay ang sinasabi. May ilang nang-aapi ng babae. Performative statements lang pala ang kanilang mga pahayag,” she added.

(But some of them don’t live out what they say. Some oppress women. Their statements turn out to be merely performative.)