ILIGAN City ― “That’s rather erotic,” I said to my friend Fely as we watched what was showing on screen.
It was Vice President Sara Duterte onstage in Manila, displaying a picture of Rep. Benny Abante of Manila’s 6th District. In the photo, his tongue was sticking out — a gesture that, to many, implied he was, well, a maniac.
“No, that’s vulgar,” Fely said without batting an eyelash. She was sitting across from me in a diner, sipping coffee with a sandwich in hand.
The vice president had been invited to the event by former Mayor Isko Moreno, who is running again for mayor of the city. Sara used the picture for all it was worth — a public takedown of someone who had grilled her during a recent Quad Committee hearing over her office’s confidential funds. Among other things, she accused Abante of disrespecting her.
Her remarks that day made several pointed and incriminating references to the congressman.
She then moved to the left side of the picture and pointed — clearly for the audience below to see. Especially the tongue.
At that moment, I realized my friend was right. It wasn’t just erotic — it was downright vulgar. It clearly implied he was a sex “maniac.”
But there was something equally striking that happened shortly after the VP’s speech.
Abante’s daughter, who we later learned is his chief of staff, did not take the insult quietly. She went onstage, too.
With all the emotion she could summon, she said: How dare someone who was an “import” come to their city and insult them — someone who hadn’t contributed even a little something to the welfare of their district?
Princess Abante, also a lawyer, continued in Tagalog: “We’re glad you did not become president!”
For several seconds, Fely and I were dumbfounded.
Then Fely, clearing her throat, said, “The VP didn’t even endorse Isko.”
I thought about that and remembered what one of the Tulfo brothers once said — that the VP is a “certified baliw.”
