Philippines Vice President Threatens to Assassinate Pres. Marcos

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Facts

  • Filipino Vice Pres. Sara Duterte publicly announced on Saturday that, should she ever be killed, she had contracted an assassin to kill Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.[1][2]
  • At a press conference, Duterte said she had 'talked with somebody,' whom she told, ''If I’m killed, you’ll kill [Marcos], Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez,' adding: 'No joke, no joke.'[3]
  • The Presidential Security Command immediately enhanced security measures and declared Duterte's threat a national security issue, stating that it's 'coordinating with law enforcement agencies' to protect 'the president and the first family.'[4]
  • The Presidential Communications Office, citing the justice ministry, said Duterte's threats are under investigation, and 'if the evidence warrants, this could lead to eventual prosecution.'[5]
  • The comments emerged after House members allied with Marcos detained Duterte's chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, over allegations of hampering a congressional inquiry into budget misuse.[4][3]
  • Duterte and Marcos, who won landslide victories in May 2022, experienced a rapid falling-out over policy differences, including approaches to China's actions in the South China Sea.[1][6]

Sources: [1]CNN, [2]Dw.Com, [3]Time, [4]New York Post, [5]Reuters and [6]Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Guardian and INQUIRER.net. Sara Duterte’s assassination threat reflects a troubling pattern of defiance and disregard for the rule of law. From refusing accountability in government inquiries to mishandling public funds, her actions undermine transparency, destabilize governance, and erode trust in democratic leadership. Her history of misconduct raises serious concerns about her future in public service.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Substack. While the previous Duterte regime has been rightfully criticized, the Marcos family's reclaimed power, fueled by historical revisionism, should not be seen as a path toward democracy and freedom. By whitewashing martial law and exploiting nostalgia, they erode democratic values, potentially leaving the nation more vulnerable to repression than before.

Predictions