VICE President Sara Duterte’s statement, claiming she had spoken to an assassin who would kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez if anything happened to her, has become a major international news story.
At least 22 international media outlets, including CNN, Reuters, Bloomberg, Straits Times, Agence France Presse, Barron’s Magazine, South China Morning Post, The Guardian, Arab News, Nikkei, Japan Today, NBC News, CBS 19 News, US News and World Report, Anadolu Ajansi (Turkey State Media), AP, ABS News, US News, RFI (French News), Fox News, WION (India), and others, have reported on the Vice President’s alleged threat.
During a midnight online press conference on Friday, Duterte said she had spoken to an assassin who was instructed to kill the Marcos couple and Romualdez if she were to be killed. However, she later retracted her statement, claiming she had nothing to gain from their deaths.
Despite the retraction, the Vice President’s statement was taken seriously by allies of the administration in the House of Representatives, as well as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Security Council (NSC).
“The gravity of these statements cannot be overstated. A kill-order on the President is not only a heinous crime but also a betrayal of the highest order—one that shakes the very foundation of our democratic institutions,” said Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr.
Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said Duterte’s threat should not be ignored, arguing it is more serious than “bomb jokes” that lead to arrests.
“If a simple bomb joke can lead to someone’s arrest and imprisonment, how much more a death threat against our President? Death threats, especially directed at the President, should never be taken lightly,” said Flores.
“The mere suggestion of such a capability reflects a dangerous normalization of extrajudicial means to address personal or political grievances,” said Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong.
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