MANILA, Philippines — In a shocking public declaration, Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte revealed on Saturday that she has allegedly hired an assassin with the intention of targeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his spouse, and the Speaker of the House if she faces harm. She emphasized that her statement should not be interpreted as a joke.
In response to this alarming declaration, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin indicated that the “active threat” against President Marcos has been escalated to a specialized team tasked with executing security protocols. However, it remains uncertain what specific measures will be enacted in response to the vice president’s comments.
A government statement confirmed, “The Executive Secretary has taken the vice president’s unequivocal declaration seriously that she contracted an assassin to target the president if there is a threat to her own life, and this matter has been referred to the Presidential Security Command for swift and appropriate action.” It further highlighted the seriousness of any threats against the president, particularly given the public nature of this proclamation.
Sara Duterte previously campaigned alongside Marcos in the May 2022 elections, and both secured significant victories under a platform promoting national unity. Nevertheless, tensions have escalated between the two leaders amid notable disagreements on various issues, particularly regarding China’s conduct in the contested South China Sea. Duterte resigned from her position in the Marcos Cabinet in June, where she previously served as the Secretary of Education and led an anti-insurgency council.
Duterte has not shied away from expressing her criticisms towards Marcos and his circle, which includes his wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez—who is not only a close ally but also Marcos’s cousin. She has openly accused them of corruption and incompetence, claiming they are undertaking politically motivated actions against her family and allies.
Her recent outburst can be traced back to the House of Representatives’ decision to detain her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez. Lopez faced allegations of obstructing a congressional investigation into possible financial discrepancies associated with her roles as vice president and education secretary. Following her treatment, Lopez was admitted to the hospital, allegedly overcome with distress upon learning of a proposed brief confinement.
In an online news briefing early in the morning, a visibly enraged Sara Duterte criticized Marcos’s presidency, labeling him a liar, along with strong expletives targeting his wife and Speaker Romualdez.
When queried about her personal safety, the 46-year-old attorney implied there was an undisclosed threat against her life. “I wouldn’t worry about my own security; I’ve already spoken to someone. I told them, ‘If I am killed, make sure you eliminate BBM, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez. This is not a joke, not a joke,'” she stated, without going into specific details, while using the initials commonly utilized to refer to President Marcos.
“I’ve instructed, ‘If I perish, continue until they are all gone.’ And he affirmed this,” the vice president added.
According to the Philippine penal code, making such public statements could be classified as a crime for threatening to cause harm to an individual or their family, which carries potential penalties of imprisonment and fines.
Sara Duterte is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose controversial anti-drug campaign resulted in numerous deaths, primarily among suspected low-level offenders. This initiative is currently under scrutiny by the International Criminal Court for potential crimes against humanity. The former president has repeatedly denied sanctioning extrajudicial killings but has offered inconsistent narratives regarding his use of violence against criminal elements throughout his political career.