Philippine VP Sara Duterte Allegedly Contracts Assassin to Threaten President Marcos

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte‘s Threat

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte declared on Saturday that she hired an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she is killed. She emphasized that her statement was serious and not a joke.

In response to her comments, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin referred the threat to a special security force for immediate action. The government highlighted the need to treat any threat against the president seriously, especially since it was made publicly.

Duterte and Marcos, who ran together in the May 2022 elections, have experienced a significant fallout over various issues. Duterte resigned from her role as education secretary and anti-insurgency head in June due to differences, particularly regarding China’s actions in the South China Sea.

Duterte has been vocal in her criticism of Marcos and others, accusing them of corruption and incompetence. Her latest outburst came after her chief of staff was detained over allegations related to her budget.

During an online news conference, Duterte accused Marcos of incompetence and claimed there was a plot against her life. She stated, “If I’m killed, you’ll kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez. No joke.” She said she instructed the assassin to act if anything happened to her.

Under Philippine law, such public threats could lead to legal consequences, including jail time and fines.

Military Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner assured that the Armed Forces would remain neutral and respect civilian authority, calling for calm amid this political crisis.

Sara Duterte is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faced scrutiny over his administration’s aggressive anti-drug policies, which have been investigated internationally for possible human rights violations.