VP Duterte denies being spoiled brat amid 'political attacks' from House

Vice President Sara Duterte rejected claims of being a "spoiled brat" or "bratinella," attributing such labels to political attacks from some House lawmakers.

She stated that the public knows her well from her time as mayor of Davao and now as Vice President, and they know she does not abuse her power.

Duterte explained that the exchange became heated because some representatives are unaccustomed to not getting their desired answers or being challenged.

She felt some House members were using the budget deliberations as an opportunity to attack her politically, particularly because they are not aligned politically.

The Vice President clarified that she respects Congress's "power of the purse" and that her office had already published the proposed budget online for public understanding.

Duterte mentioned that her office decided to forgo the question-and-answer portion of the budget hearing because she perceived it as an avenue for political attacks rather than a genuine budget scrutiny.

She maintained that she responded to every question thrown at her regarding her office's 2025 budget proposal, but that lawmakers simply did not like her replies.