Vice President Sara Duterte Denies Assassination Claims Amid Impeachment Talks

Vice President Sara Duterte Responds to Threat Claims Against President Marcos

On November 26, 2024, Vice President Sara Duterte denied accusations that she threatened to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. She stated that she never used the term “assassin” in her remarks, which have prompted an investigation and discussions of possible impeachment.

Duterte claimed the Marcos administration twisted her words during a recent Zoom press conference. She criticized the administration for creating a false narrative about her intentions and said, “There is absolutely no flesh on the bone,” emphasizing the lack of evidence for these claims. She argued that a hypothetical revenge scenario does not equate to an active threat.

Authorities reacted to Duterte’s comments by referring her statements to the Presidential Security Command due to their serious nature. The Presidential Communications Office stated that the Executive Secretary believes her remarks reveal an active threat.

Duterte clarified her statement from the press conference. She said she spoke to someone and ordered them to target specific individuals if she was killed. She translated her words from Filipino, stating, “If I am killed, kill BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez.”

The Department of Justice is examining her comments for possible legal action, including libel and grave threats. The National Bureau of Investigation has issued a subpoena for her response.

In light of these events, Representative France Castro announced that an impeachment case against Duterte is prepared following her controversial remarks.