Sara Says He’s Sharp, Tests Say He’s Faking: The Duterte Family’s Memory Paradox Explodes

The Coin That Broke the Dementia Camel’s Back

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — December 21, 2025

MGA ka-kweba, imagine the moment: A former president, known for his sharp tongue and fearless leadership, suddenly turns into a “feeble old man” who can no longer think straight. Dementia, they say. Can’t understand the charges anymore. Can’t instruct his lawyers. It’s like a teleserye scene—full of drama, tears, and suspense. But then, one simple test, like a coin toss, exposes the truth. And there, the mask falls.

This is the latest chapter in Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s ICC saga. And here in Kweba ni Barok, the truth has nowhere to hide, no matter how absurd or hypocritical the situation.

**“When the ‘forget-me-now’ pill meets the ‘remember-my-dynasty’ platform.”**

The “Coin in Hand” Ambush: The Smoking Gun No One Saw Coming

Let me lay this out clearly, just as the ICC prosecutor did. Three independent medical experts—specialists appointed by the court, not by the prosecution or defense—examined Duterte separately from October to November 2025. They used standard “symptom validity tests,” assessments specifically designed to catch those who are faking.

And the star of the show? The “coin in hand test.”

It’s simple: The doctor shows a coin in one hand. Closes both fists. Asks the patient to close their eyes, count backward, then point to the hand with the coin. It’s repeated several times. They even told him it was a test for short-term memory.

But the reality? It’s a “floor test”—so easy that even those with moderate to severe memory impairment usually pass, because even random guessing gives a 50% chance. Scoring below chance is almost impossible without deliberate mistakes. You’d have to remember where the coin is… to intentionally point to the wrong one.

And according to the prosecution filing on December 18, 2025, Duterte “underperformed” so badly—it raised strong suspicions of intent. Add to that the unanimous panel finding: Duterte is “an unreliable historian” regarding his own health and mental functions. In short, his stories about his illnesses can’t be trusted.

This is the foundational crack in the entire defense narrative. Not just “maybe impaired”—but it looks fake.

Kaufman’s Defense: A Hail Mary Full of Holes

Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte’s lead counsel, has accepted the unanimous finding that he is fit for trial. But he claims there are “internal inconsistencies” in the panel, and they didn’t explicitly say the underperformance was deliberate.

Classic legal maneuver—technicality. But in real life, it’s like saying, “Yes, he failed the exam, but they didn’t say he deliberately answered wrong.” Absurd. Especially since these tests are designed precisely to catch that. And the prosecution? Blunt: “It strongly appears that Mr. Duterte is feigning cognitive impairments in an attempt to avoid a trial on the merits.”

The Pre-Trial Chamber ruling isn’t out yet, but it’s clear: This backup plan—after the humanitarian release was rejected in November 2025 due to flight risk and witness intimidation—looks like it’s about to end.

The Political Battlefield: The Marcos-Duterte Rift and the “Sara Paradox”

Let’s not forget this isn’t pure legal drama. This is Philippine politics in its purest form.

Duterte’s arrest in March 2025 happened amid the deepening rift between Marcos Jr. and the Duterte clan. From the “UniTeam” in 2022, it turned into open warfare—impeachment attempts on VP Sara, budget cuts, mutual accusations. The ICC case? For many, it’s a tool in a domestic power struggle, used to dismantle Duterte’s influence, especially heading into the 2028 elections.

But the biggest irony? The “Sara Paradox.”

While the defense paints Duterte as cognitively impaired—barely recognizing family—the Vice President Sara Duterte herself declares her father is “okay,” still engaged in politics. There are even reports of his “jokes” about escaping ICC detention. How can the “dementia” defense be credible when his own daughter, with the closest access, says he’s well?

This eviscerates the whole strategy. From a “frail patriarch” deserving sympathy, he suddenly becomes a “strategic deceiver” faking it to evade justice.

Broader Implications: A Cautionary Tale for Strongmen

For the ICC, this is a pivotal test. If such evasion tactics—feigning illness, indefinite delays—are allowed, the court’s credibility will be crippled. Especially in cases of aging leaders like Omar al-Bashir.

In Philippine politics, the feigning allegation damages the Duterte brand. No longer an “elderly victim of foreign interference,” but a clever manipulator gaming the system. That’s a huge impact on 2028—especially on the family’s dynastic ambitions.

And globally? It’s a reminder to populist strongmen: No one is untouchable. No matter how powerful you once were, accountability comes—not through drama, but through cold, hard evidence like a simple coin test.

My Polemical Verdict: Time to End the Charade

I won’t be neutral here, friends. The prosecution is right to push for swift resumption—but they’re not perfect; the “feigning” accusation is too aggressive before a final ruling. The defense? Cynical and insulting to the court’s intelligence and the drug war victims. Using “illness” as a shield, like it’s happened so many times in our political history.

But the unanimous panel finding? That’s a rare moment of clarity. Let’s celebrate it.

My demand: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber, calendar the confirmation of charges hearing immediately. Proceed with accommodations—short breaks, simple questions, hearing aids, nutritious Pinoy food if he wants it. But no further delays.

To the Philippine public: See this clearly—it’s just a distraction from the core allegations of crimes against humanity. Thousands dead, families shattered. Don’t let justice become a sideshow.

To the political class: Stop using the ICC as a pawn in your power games. Marcos camp or Duterte loyalists—the real issue is accountability, not vendetta.

Finally, a moral call: The drug war victims have waited too long. Time to face the truth, not through fake dementia, but with full courage. Justice delayed is justice denied. And in this case, the delay has been far too long.

Until the next chapter in the cave,

—Barok