Sara Duterte: Leaders should not be motivated by cash, cocaine or champagne

MANILA, Philippines — Trading barbs again with public officials, Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday said "leaders should not be motivated by cash, cocaine or champagne" in a new statement criticizing the Marcos administration's budget for flood control projects.

This is the second time that Duterte has mentioned the word "cocaine" in a public statement posted on her personal Facebook page and shared by the Office of the Vice President.

Duterte first referenced the term in her open letter on July 29 where she said political attacks against her were timed with her resignation from the president's Cabinet and the "release of the cocaine video."

Duterte's statement did not namedrop the president, her former ally and 2022 election running mate, but the vice president implied that the current government was not allocating funds for flood infrastructure in Davao City.

"Baka naman gusto nang pondohan ang mga infrastructure projects na naaayon sa masterplan? O baka naman may alinlangan pa hinggil dito dahil Duterte ang mayor at mas mamarapatin nilang gibain na lang?" she said, referring to the mayor as her brother, Sebastian Duterte.

(Maybe they now want to fund the infrastructure projects that align with the master plan? Or perhaps there are still doubts about it because the mayor is a Duterte, and they would rather just tear it down.)

Sara then listed the ideal qualities of a leader, saying that leaders "should not be motivated by cash, cocaine or champagne."

"And, most certainly, leaders should not be made to hold champagne glasses," the vice president said.

On the day of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s third State of the Nation Address, the pro-Duterte Hakbang ng Maisug group distributed a video that they claimed showed the president inhaling white powder. 

The Philippine National Police has since dismissed the video as fake.

Meanwhile, Sara's reference to holding "champagne glasses" seemed to allude to First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos' viral video in June where she was seen drinking from Senate President Chiz Escudero's wine glass.