Philippine VP Duterte threatens to kill President Marcos
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte sparked shockwaves Saturday by publicly stating she had contracted an assassin to target President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the House Speaker if she were to be killed, warning that her remarks were “not a joke.”
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte sparked shockwaves Saturday by publicly stating she had contracted an assassin to target President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the House Speaker if she were to be killed, warning that her remarks were “not a joke.”
The unprecedented threat has been referred to the Presidential Security Command for urgent action. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin underscored the gravity of Duterte’s statement: “Any threat to the life of the president must always be taken seriously, more so that this threat has been publicly revealed in clear and certain terms.”
The fallout between Duterte and Marcos, who won landslide victories in 2022 as running mates, has deepened over political and policy differences, particularly regarding China’s actions in the South China Sea. Duterte resigned from the Cabinet in June and has since launched searing attacks, accusing the president and his allies of corruption, incompetence, and political persecution of her supporters.
Her latest tirade was fueled by the detention of her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, over allegations of obstructing a congressional probe into her budget use. In an expletive-laden online conference, Duterte alleged an unspecified plot against her life and outlined her response: “I said, ‘If I’m killed, you’ll kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez. No joke, no joke.’”
Duterte’s remarks are legally precarious, as Philippine law criminalizes public threats, which may result in jail time. Military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner sought to ease tensions, urging nonpartisanship and national unity: “We call for calm and resolve.”
As the political drama escalates, analysts warn that the rift may destabilize the Marcos administration and deepen divisions in the country. Meanwhile, Duterte’s statement places a spotlight on her family’s controversial political legacy, including her father Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs, which remains under scrutiny by the International Criminal Court.
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