Vice President Sara Duterte criticized the Marcos administration on Tuesday for allegedly exaggerating claims that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s life is under active threat following her controversial “kill” remark.
In a statement, Duterte asserted that her comment, made during an online media conference, was taken out of context.
“A supposed conditional act of revenge does not constitute an active threat,” Duterte said. “The Marcos administration’s insistence that the President’s life is under active threat is ominous.”
Duterte’s Controversial Remark
Duterte’s controversial statement emerged during a media conference at the House of Representatives, where her Office of the Vice President (OVP) chief of staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, was detained after being cited in contempt.
She remarked that she had directed a person to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were to be assassinated.
Duterte later clarified that her comment was not an actual threat but an attempt to emphasize the alleged danger to her own safety.
“Assassin” Narrative
In an ambush interview, Duterte accused the administration of fabricating the terms “assassin” and “murder plot” to escalate the situation.
“Please check. Did I mention the word ‘assassin?’ No. So they put that in the narrative ‘assassin’ and ‘murder plot,’” she said.
She expressed confidence that any objective review of the situation would reveal the claims to be unfounded.
“This is a plan without substance. Pretending that it is an active threat… Think of the world watching. Is this how Filipinos think? The administration doesn’t care, but I am ashamed that this is how they operate,” Duterte remarked.
Marcos Administration Responds
While Malacañang declined to comment on Duterte’s statements, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) previously stated that the Vice President’s remarks were referred to the Presidential Security Command (PSC) for action.
The PSC has since heightened security measures, calling the Vice President’s statement a “matter of national security.”
“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 Palace said.
Political Tensions Escalate
This latest incident adds to the ongoing tensions between Duterte and Marcos, whose relationship soured after a House inquiry into alleged misuse of confidential funds by the OVP and the Department of Education, which she heads.