November 26, 2024 | 5:41pm
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, November 26, railed against accusations she threatened to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., arguing she never used the word “assassin” in public remarks that have since triggered an investigation and fueled talks of her possible impeachment.
In a statement, Duterte accused the Marcos administration of “aggressively selling a narrative” based on what she said during her profanity-laced Zoom press conference on Saturday, which she said was taken out of “logical context.”
“The Marcos administration’s insistence that the president’s life is under active threat is ominous,” Duterte said.
“There is absolutely no flesh on the bone, and despite the absence of a reliable investigation, authorities were quick to consider this a national security concern,” she added.
The vice president questioned the Marcos administration for considering her statement as a security threat, arguing that “a supposed conditional act of revenge does not constitute an active threat.”
“Tossing the word ‘assassin’ into this issue makes things even more terrifying – and especially because I never used that term during my recent consternation against the Marcos administration’s failure to serve the Filipinos while it masterfully persecutes political enemies,” Duterte said.
This statement comes after the Presidential Communications Office said on November 23 that it considers Duterte’s words as a serious security concern.
“Acting on the Vice President’s clear and unequivocal statement that she had contracted an assassin to kill the President if an alleged plot against her succeeds, the Executive Secretary has referred this active threat to the Presidential Security Command for immediate proper action,” The PCO said.
What did Duterte actually say? Duterte did not use the word assassin during her virtual press conference, but she had clearly stated that she “talked” to someone to do the job.
“May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kaniya na kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta at si Martin Romualdez. No joke. Nagbilin na ako. ‘Pag namatay ako, sabi ko, ‘wag ka tumigil hanggang hindi mo mapatay sila,’ and then he said yes,” Duterte said on November 23.
(I already spoke to someone. I told him that if I am killed, kill BBM, Liza Araneta and Martin Romualdez. No joke. I gave him orders. ‘When I die, I said, ‘don’t stop until you kill them,’ and then he said yes,” Duterte said on November 23.)
The Department of Justice said it is reviewing Duterte’s remarks for the possible filing of cases against her, which includes libel, defamation and/or grave threats.
The National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday issued a subpoena against Duterte to prompt her to explain her side.
Meanwhile, Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers), a Makabayan bloc lawmaker, said an impeachment case against Duterte is ready to be filed any time following her incendiary remarks against the president.
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