The statements made by Vice President Sara Duterte that she already contracted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if something bad happens to her were described by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero as “deeply concerning and inappropriate.”
“Recent statements made by Vice President Sara Duterte are deeply concerning as they are inappropriate for an official occupying the second highest office of the land,” Escudero said in a statement released on.
“She should keep in mind that as a public official, she has a duty to set an example for the personnel in the Office of the Vice President and our fellow Filipinos, especially our children,” added Escudero.
The Senate President further urged Duterte and her allies to examine how her actions have contributed to “rising tensions, calling on all parties involved to curtail the situation to avoid additional harm to the safety, health, and well-being of everyone involved.”
“I urge those who are close to her—those who truly care about her as a person and as a leader—to advise her to refrain from making these indecorous and possibly criminal statements in public. These do not benefit the Vice President, her office, or our country,” he said.
Escudero pointed out that public officials should focus their energy and attention on resolving urgent and pressing concerns of the Filipino people, adding that tackling the “erratic and troubling behavior” of a high-ranking official is a needless distraction.
“Ultimately, as public servants, our actions should always be guided by this fundamental question: do my actions serve our people and benefit the country that we all love? I implore the Vice President to review and assess her recent actions and words spoken and determine if her statements meet this standard,” Escudero said.
Duterte’s statements came after her chief of staff Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez was ordered to be transferred from the House detention facility to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.
‘Wag kang mag-alala sa security ko kasi may kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘pag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez,” Duterte said.
“Nagbilin na ako, Ma’am. ‘Pag namatay ako, wag ka tumigil hanggang hindi mo mapapatay sila. And then he said yes,” the Vice President said in response to reporters’ questions during the media briefing.
Duterte claimed that the planned transfer was an “attempted homicide.”
Lopez was ordered detained at the lower chamber after she was cited in contempt for her supposed “undue interference” in the panel’s investigation into the confidential funds of offices held by Duterte.
—VAL, GMA Integrated News
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