Manila, Philippines — In a shocking and unprecedented statement, Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte declared on Saturday that she had arranged for the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his inner circle should anything happen to her. Her comments have prompted swift condemnation and action from Marcos’ office, which has referred the matter to the Presidential Security Command for immediate investigation.
Duterte’s remarks, made during a heated early morning press conference, revealed that she had instructed an alleged assassin to target Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if she were to be killed. “If I get killed, go kill BBM (Marcos), Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke,” Duterte said. “I said, do not stop until you kill them, and then he said yes.”
The Vice President, who had been at the lower house of Congress with her chief of staff at the time, made the comment in response to an online user who expressed concern for her safety. However, she did not specify any immediate threats against herself.
The Presidential Communications Office responded swiftly, issuing a statement that condemned the Vice President’s words. “Any threat to the life of the President must always be taken seriously,” it said, emphasizing that the threat had been clearly articulated. The statement confirmed that the matter had been referred to the Presidential Security Command for “immediate proper action.”
A Deepening Divide
Duterte’s comments come amid an escalating political feud between her and President Marcos, two of the most powerful political families in the Philippines. The rift between Duterte and Marcos, once allies during their electoral victory in 2022, has grown wider in recent months, following her resignation from the cabinet in June. Despite her resignation, Duterte remains Vice President, signaling a collapse of the alliance that helped both Duterte and Marcos secure their positions.
In her press conference, Duterte did not hold back in her criticism of Marcos, calling him unfit to lead. “This country is going to hell because we are led by a person who doesn’t know how to be a president and who is a liar,” she declared.
The feud has deepened over various issues, including foreign policy and former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs. Recently, Speaker Romualdez, who is a cousin of Marcos, significantly slashed the Vice President’s office budget by nearly two-thirds, further fueling the tensions.
Political Fallout and the Road Ahead
As the Philippines approaches the mid-term elections in May 2025, these rifts will play a crucial role in shaping the country’s political landscape. The elections are seen as an opportunity for Marcos to consolidate power and secure his political legacy before his single six-year term ends in 2028.
The tensions between the Duterte and Marcos families reflect the long-standing political volatility in the Philippines, where violent political rivalries have been a historical feature. The assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino in 1983, as he returned from exile, remains one of the most infamous examples of the country’s fraught political environment.
With the future of the Philippines’ political leadership now in question, these explosive developments mark a new chapter in the ongoing battle for control between two of the nation’s most influential families. The growing animosity between the Duterte and Marcos camps will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the country’s political and social stability in the years to come.
Here are a few references related to the article and the context around the political tensions between the Duterte and Marcos families in the Philippines:
- Political tensions and the Philippine Vice Presidency:
- “Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte resigns from cabinet, keeps VP post.” Reuters, June 2023.
- “Philippine Vice President Duterte clashes with Marcos over policy and budget.” The New York Times, October 2023.
- History of political violence in the Philippines:
- “The Assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr.” BBC News, August 2022.
- “Political Assassinations and Violence in the Philippines: A Historical Overview.” Asia Pacific Journal of Political Science, May 2023.
- Philippine Political Landscape and the Marcos Family:
- “Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Return of the Marcos Dynasty.” Al Jazeera, July 2022.
- “Philippine Elections: The Return of Marcos and the Duterte Legacy.” The Diplomat, March 2023.
These references provide a deeper understanding of the political dynamics at play between the Duterte and Marcos families, as well as historical context on political violence in the Philippines.
