Why VP Sara Duterte Chose a Famous Poem During Her Impeachment Battle
SARA DUTERTE – Vice President Sara Duterte left the Senate without answering questions, but her brief statement immediately sparked widespread discussion online.
Vice President Sara Duterte drew public attention on Tuesday, July 7, after making a brief but striking statement regarding the impeachment trial she is facing. The Vice President visited the Senate not to attend the hearing itself but to meet privately with her legal team as preparations for the proceedings continued.
Before leaving the Senate premises, Duterte briefly faced members of the media. Although she declined to answer questions, she delivered a short statement that quickly became one of the day’s most discussed remarks.
“In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed,” she said before departing.
Observers noted that this was not the first time the Vice President had used the term “bloodbath” in connection with the impeachment case. She had previously mentioned the word when discussions about a possible impeachment complaint against her first surfaced.
The phrase “bloodied but unbowed” originates from the second stanza of the famous poem “Invictus,” which expresses resilience, courage, and an unwavering spirit in the face of life’s most difficult challenges. The poem was written by English poet William Ernest Henley and has long been regarded as one of the favorite literary works of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the father of Vice President Sara Duterte.
According to reports, the former president introduced the poem to his children when they were still young, encouraging them to memorize it. Over the years, Invictus reportedly became a source of inspiration and guidance for the Duterte family during periods of hardship.
Historical records show that Henley wrote Invictus while recovering from severe bone tuberculosis. He was also reportedly saved from undergoing a second leg amputation, making the poem a lasting symbol of courage, perseverance, and determination in the face of suffering.
This was also not the first time members of the Duterte family referenced the poem publicly. In April 2026, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte was also reported to have cited lines from Invictus while in The Hague, Netherlands, following a visit to her father, who remains detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the alleged deadly war on drugs during his administration, as well as actions linked to his tenure as mayor of Davao City.
The line quoted by Vice President Sara Duterte has once again brought renewed attention to Invictus, a poem widely recognized for its message of strength and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Here is the complete poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.