The party of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), has expressed concern regarding the statement made by Vice President Sara Duterte that she has ordered the President and the First Lady to be assassinated if something bad happens to her.
In a statement on Sunday, the PFP said it condemns any attacks against democracy and rejects all forms of violence, threats, or actions that put the safety of the public and the stability of the nation at risk.
“The statements made by Vice President Sara Duterte against the President and the First Lady are deeply alarming as it undermines the rule of law and fosters a culture of lawlessness and impunity. Such rhetoric has no place in a democracy, in a Bagong Pilipinas that values accountability, peace, and order,” the group said.
The political party, which is chaired by Marcos himself, urged public servants and all Filipinos to stand in solidarity with the President and work together to safeguard the future of the country.
“We urge our leaders to transcend personal and political interests, prioritize unity over division, and commit to fostering peace and moral recovery. As public servants, we must exemplify humility, discipline, and accountability in both our words and actions,” it added.
The party issued the statement after Duterte on early Saturday morning said she contracted an unnamed person to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez, if an alleged plot against her succeeds.
The Vice President delivered the statement during a media conference at the House of Representatives where her chief of staff and undersecretary, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, was detained after being cited in contempt by the House of Representatives Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability for “undue interference” in the panel’s investigation into the confidential funds of offices held by Duterte.
Lopez was later on brought to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) after she fell ill following the lower chamber’s order to transfer her to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW).
Duterte later clarified that her “assassination” statement was not a threat, saying she only highlighted the alleged threat to her security.
‘Kwentong barbero’
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City lawmaker Mannix Dalipe claimed that Duterte only made the threat as a tactic to divert the attention from the issue of her confidential funds.
“The Vice President’s claim is totally without basis. It’s just the product of her fertile imagination,” the solon said.
“‘Yung drama-drama niya, budol-budol lang ‘yan, diversionary. Nililihis niya ang issue do’n sa ‘di tamang paggamit niya ng P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds na natanggap ng Office of the Vice President (P500 million) and Department of Education (P112.5 million) nung 2022 at 2023, nung siya ay education secretary pa,” he added.
(That’s just drama and a diversionary tactic. She wants to divert the issue on the improper use of P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds received by the Office of the Vice President (P500 million) and Department of Education (P112.5 million) in 2022 and 2023, when he was still education secretary.)
Dalipe also believes that what Duterte has been doing was all “planned,” thus appealing to the public not to be deceived.
“We are appealing to our people not to fall for these unreasonable outbursts intended to distract them from the real issue,” he said.
Congressmen involved in the probe have raised questions related to state auditors’ findings that the OVP’s use of confidential funds was accompanied by inconsistent acknowledgement receipts.
Duterte, in return, maintained that she did not misuse OVP funds and that the congressional inquiry is just a test case for impeachment. —RF, GMA Integrated News
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