SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - The Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation summoned Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday after she claimed in an online press conference that she had instructed her security detail to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family if she were to be assassinated.
President Marcos responded in a video message on Monday, stating "There were death threats" and "I will fight and not let such things happen," while Duterte later defended her comments as conditional revenge scenarios expressing disappointment with the Marcos government rather than actual threats.
The controversy deepened when her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, suggested on Monday that "only the military can correct numerous mistakes" in the divided nation's governance, prompting additional scrutiny from authorities.
The incident marks a significant rupture in the political alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families, who had joined forces during the 2022 presidential election when Marcos and Sara Duterte ran as running mates.
The National Bureau of Investigation noted that the vice president could face criminal charges as she does not have immunity from prosecution, while public threats of harm against individuals or their families can result in imprisonment or fines under Philippine law.
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