Binay on Duterte psychological report: Let people decide

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday said the psychological report used in the annulment case of rival presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte should be left to the judgment and scrutiny of the voting public.

“The fact is hindi naman mandatory ‘yung pag-submit ng medical certificate so apparently, kahit may psychological disorder, hindi magiging ground for disqualification (The fact is the submission of a medical certificate is not mandatory. So even if you have a psychological disorder, it will not be a ground for your disqualification),” Binay told reporters upon landing in Manila after campaigning in this city.

“Let his physical and mental case be subjected to the voters,” he said.

First reported by ABS-CBN, assessment results of the psychological report used as basis for the annulment of Duterte’s marriage to first wife Elizabeth Zimmerman in 2000 showed that the tough-talking mayor has “narcissistic personality disorder” or “extreme self-conceit.”

The assessment said Duterte has a “pervasive tendency to demean, humiliate others and violate their rights and feelings” and “difficulty controlling his urges and emotions.”

But Binay said it was “high time” for candidates to be subjected to medical exams, psychological tests included.

“I think it’s high time…Siguro tama naman ‘yun. Kasi biruin mo naman, hindi mo nire-reveal na may sakit ka, eh sayang naman ‘yung botong ibinigay sa’yo (I guess it’s just right. Come to think of it, if you are sick, and you don’t reveal it, then my vote for you will just be wasted),” he said.

READ: Duterte pressed on health

The United Nationalist Alliance standard-bearer noted that Duterte’s alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings was a more alarming concern than his psychological capacity.
“Unless ang i-raise ay ‘yung kanyang sinasabi. If somebody will raise a petition for disqualification, I don’t know if it’s still timely, ‘yung mga sinasabi n’ya that is his platform—a platform that is unlawful, against the law, against human rights… ‘Yung sinasabi niyang ipagpapatuloy ko ang extrajudicial killings is unlawful,” he said.

(Unless someone raises a complaint against his pronouncements. If somebody will raise a petition for disqualification—I don’t know if it’s still timely—his pronouncements are his platforms—platforms which are against the law and human rights. His pronouncements that he will continue extrajudicial killings is unlawful.)

Asked about Duterte’s flip-flopping apology over a controversial rape joke, Binay said it was part of the mayor’s “psychological disorder.”

READ: Digong finally says sorry for rape joke

Duterte drew flak for joking in a campaign rally that he should have been the first to rape Australian lay missionary Jaqueline Hamill, who was murdered during a jailbreak at the Davao City Police Office in 1989.

Before his camp issued a statement of apology on Tuesday, Duterte had refused to say sorry for his remarks, saying that he made the controversial remark “in the heat of anger” over the rape incident. IDL