President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of the Philippines expressed serious concern regarding recent threats made against him, following statements from Vice President Sara Duterte suggesting arrangements for an assassin to target him and other officials if she were to be killed.
In a video address, Mr. Marcos stated, “there have been a slew of reckless profanities and threats, including plans to kill some of us,” although he did not explicitly reference Vice President Duterte. He emphasized the severity of such threats, stating, “If it is so easy to threaten the life of a president, how much more for ordinary citizens? Such criminal intent should never be tolerated. I will not take this sitting down.”
Security measures for the president were heightened on Monday, following Ms. Duterte’s comments made during a virtual briefing where she claimed to have arranged for the murder of Mr. Marcos, his wife, Liza, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she was killed. In response to the backlash, Ms. Duterte described her remarks as “maliciously taken out of logical context.”
The Department of Justice announced it would issue a subpoena to Ms. Duterte, requiring her to explain her remarks within five days. Jesse Andres, the undersecretary for the Justice Department, indicated that the alleged premeditated plot against the president would lead to legal repercussions.
The political landscape in the Philippines is increasingly tense, with the possibility of a confrontation between the Marcoses and the Dutertes. Ms. Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was a predecessor to Mr. Marcos, and the Dutertes have publicly criticized the Marcos administration for over a year.
Mr. Marcos’s response to the threats marks a notable shift from his previous silence on the issue, particularly following Ms. Duterte’s earlier declaration to behead him. Analysts suggest this address signals his intent to address the escalating tensions directly.
Ms. Duterte's recent comments were made in the aftermath of her chief of staff’s detention related to a contempt charge. The vice president expressed her outrage regarding the imprisonment of her aide, Zuleika Lopez, who had allegedly attempted to obstruct a subpoena regarding potential misuse of funds.
During her remarks, Ms. Duterte criticized the current leadership, claiming, “This country is going to hell because we are led by a person who doesn’t know how to be a president and who is a liar." She went on to threaten the lives of Mr. Marcos, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez, instructing a hitman to target them if she were to be slain.
Upon their election in 2022, Mr. Marcos and Ms. Duterte had pledged national unity, but tensions between their political factions have surfaced. Following Ms. Duterte’s statements, the National Security Council labeled all threats against Mr. Marcos as a national security issue. The presidential security group reiterated that any threats against the president and his family would be treated with the highest seriousness.
Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of staff of the Philippine military, stated that the military would maintain neutrality but reminded service members to remain loyal to the Constitution amid the current political upheaval.