Manila [Philippines], November 26: The Philippines is embroiled in a "war" between two major political families, with Vice President Sara Duterte facing prosecution after threatening to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said yesterday that he would respond to "reckless and troubling" threats against him. Earlier this weekend, Vice President Sara Duterte announced that if her life was threatened, she would have her superiors assassinated, according to Reuters.
The President's Response
The bitter dispute between the Philippines' two major political families, the Duterte and Marcos families , took a dramatic turn after Vice President Sara Duterte said she had arranged for the assassination of Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president's cousin. At an online press conference after midnight on November 22, Ms. Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, made the statement after being asked by a reporter if she was worried about her safety.
Yesterday, in a pre-recorded video message, President Marcos Jr., son of former President Ferdinand Marcos, officially spoke out about the content of the vice president's press conference. "The above statements that we have heard in the past few days are really worrying... If (statements) about plotting to kill the president can be carried out so easily, then what will happen to ordinary citizens? Such illegal threats cannot be ignored. I will respond," The Manila Bulletin quoted Mr. Marcos Jr. as saying. He also emphasized that the Philippines is a country that puts the rule of law first.
After making the shocking statement, Ms. Duterte yesterday said that her remarks at the online press conference were only to express her concerns about her own safety. She affirmed that there would be no benefit if the current president died.
Risk of prosecution
Tensions between the President and Vice President of the Philippines escalated after the Duterte-Marcos alliance collapsed. In May 2022, Mr. Marcos Jr. won a resounding victory thanks to his decision to run with Ms. Duterte. As a result, Ms. Duterte became vice president after Mr. Marcos Jr. was elected.
However, their alliance gradually fell apart due to disagreements and Ms. Duterte left the cabinet in June. Since then, she has faced a House of Representatives investigation into budget spending. Recently, the Manila government said it would not stand in the way of Interpol's attempt to arrest her father, former President Duterte, on charges related to his war on drugs while in power.
At a press conference yesterday, Deputy Attorney General Jesse Hermogenes Andres said the vice president does not enjoy immunity from prosecution and will have to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to clarify the content of the threats against the president's family.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
