By Junex Doronio

MANILA – Alarmed by Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent statements, leaders of the so-called “Young Guns” in the House of Representatives have raised concerns about her mental health, suggesting a psychological evaluation may be necessary.

The Young Guns believe such an assessment is crucial after VP Duterte’s press conference, where she mentioned imagining cutting off President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s head and threatened to exhume his father’s remains and throw them into the West Philippine Sea.

“Walang matinong tao ang makakaisip, lalo’t gagawa, ng ganitong klaseng pahayag. Nakababahala ang antas ng kawalan ng katinuan sa kanyang mga salita,” remarked House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun.

He added: “For someone in such a high position to make violent and grotesque threats, even in jest, shows a troubling level of instability. Kailangang magkaroon ng masusing psychological assessment upang matiyak kung siya ay karapat-dapat pang maglingkod sa bayan sa ganitong kritikal na posisyon.”

House Assistant Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V echoed these concerns, pointing out the potential risks of Duterte’s statements and the serious implications for the country.

“Ang ganitong uri ng marahas at nakakatakot na mga pahayag ay hindi katanggap-tanggap mula sa kahit sino, lalo na sa isang nakaupong Bise Presidente. Malinaw na may malalaking katanungan tungkol sa kanyang estado ng pag-iisip at emosyonal na kalagayan,” Ortega noted.

“We strongly urge the Office of the Vice President to consider seeking professional help for Vice President Duterte. This behavior is deeply concerning and could have significant consequences for our nation’s leadership,” Ortega emphasized.

Notably, VP Duterte’s press conference took place just a day after a House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability hearing revealed discrepancies regarding the Department of Education’s (DepEd) use of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) during her tenure. DepEd had falsely claimed to have used CIFs for a youth program, but military officers testified that most expenses for the Youth Leadership Summits (YLS) in 2023 were covered by the military and local government units.

Despite these testimonies, under VP Duterte’s leadership, DepEd used military certifications related to the YLS to justify the allocation of ₱15 million in CIFs, which were supposedly intended for paying informants.

ia/mnm