Sara Duterte explains tambaloslos remark

An insult or a joke, the meaning of the term tambaloslos depends on how it was said, Vice President Sara Duterte said on Friday.

According to Ian Cruz's exclusive report on "24 Oras", Duterte was asked who she was referring to when she used the Bisaya term in a cryptic social media post recently.

"No comment," Duterte said smiling.

GMA Integrated News caught up with Duterte in Brunei where she attended schools as president of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO).

As the secretary of education, Duterte also observed best practices in Brunei's schools.

Asked to describe a tambaloslos if she didn't want to identify the person she referred to in her post, a smiling Duterte said, "Ang tambaloslos kasi sa Bisaya pwede mo siyang i-interpret na joke and pwede mo rin siyang i-interpret na pagmumura, and pwede mo siyang i-interpret na pang iinsulto."

(Tambaloslos in Bisaya may be interpreted as a joke. It may also be interpreted as an insult.)

"Sa mga Bisaya kailangan mong marinig na sinabi mo siya para maintindihan mo kung anong context ang ginamit siya," she added.

(In Bisaya, one would need to hear how you said it so he or she could understand in what context it was used.)

Asked in what context did she post her tambaloslos remark, Duterte said, "No comment."

‘You have many friends’

On the administration reaching its first year by the end of the month, Duterte said she would always support President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos.

"I will be always beside and behind President Marcos and he’s doing a good job para sa ating bansa," Duterte said.

She said she and Marcos had already discussed her leaving Lakas-CMD, the party under which she ran in Eleksyon 2022.

Marcos and Duterte were running mates although Marcos was the standard bearer of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.

They ran under the Team Unity coalition along with senatorial candidates from different parties.

"Sinabi ko sa kanya na you will always be my friend. And then sabi ko ikaw lang. And then he said na marami kang kaibigan. Hindi mo lang alam," Duterte said.

(I told him that he would always be my friend. Just you. He said I had many friends. It's just that I didn't know.)

‘Do not be tambaloslos’

Duterte in late May  posted a photo of herself with the  cryptic caption, “Sa imong ambisyon, do not be tambaloslos.”

(In your ambition, do not be tambaloslos.)

Among Visayans, “tambaloslos” referred to a greedy mythical creature that had a large mouth and leds people astray.

Duterte in her selfie was seen wearing an Office of the Vice President polo shirt.

She post was made a few days after she Duterte announced her irrevocable resignation as a member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, the party under which she ran in Eleksyon 2022.

Duterte quit the party two days after the House of Representatives elected Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales as senior deputy speaker to replace Lakas-CMD chairperson-emeritus Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who would continue to be deputy speaker.

While she did not mention why she resigned, Duterte said the Filipino people who trusted her to lead the country could not be poisoned by "political toxicity" or undermined by "execrable political powerplay."

On the same day, Arroyo posted a photo with Duterte on Facebook.

Skipped middle initial

In a speech on June 5, Duterte acknowledged Marcos' support for the Office of the Vice President but skipped mentioning the Chief Executive's  middle initial.

Marcos' middle name is Romualdez, a name which he shares with Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president of Lakas-CMD.

After Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. released a statement that indicated Speaker's help for Duterte's candidacy, Duterte on June 7 released a statement saying Romualdez was not in the picture when she decided to run for vice president.

In October 2021, Marcos and Duterte met in Cebu at the birthday party of Romualdez's wife, Tingog Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez. Imee was also present at the meeting.

In November 2021, Romualdez administered the party's oath to Duterte and welcomed then President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter to Lakas-CMD.

Duterte then filed her COC for vice president, substituting for Lakas-CMD member Lyle Uy. —NB, GMA Integrated News