The Philippines’ National Security Council will investigate an alarming claim by Vice President Sara Duterte that she instructed an assassin to target President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the House Speaker if her own life were threatened.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año confirmed on Sunday that the government considers such threats as a serious “matter of national security.”
Duterte made the explosive statement during a Saturday briefing, escalating tensions in an already fractured relationship with Marcos. Their political partnership, once a cornerstone of the nation’s 2022 elections, has disintegrated over disputes on policies, including Duterte’s father’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
In response, the Presidential Security Command tightened protective protocols, while the Philippine National Police launched an investigation into the allegations. Año emphasised the importance of validating any threats against the president.
“Any and all threats against the life of the president shall be validated and considered a matter of national security,” Año said.
This comes amid mounting scrutiny of both leaders. Marcos’ allies in Congress are probing former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, which resulted in over 6,000 deaths, as well as allegations of corruption linked to Sara Duterte’s tenure as education secretary. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
Sara Duterte, who resigned from Marcos’ Cabinet in June, remains a polarising figure. Her remarks, though unprecedented, underline the deepening rift in Philippine politics and the fragile state of governance at the nation’s highest levels.
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