On November 23, 2024, in a digital press conference on her Facebook social media channel, Vice President Sara Duterte threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, his wife, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Martin Romualdez, killed if she herself was killed. Duterte later denied that she had made death threats and merely expressed “consternation” towards Marcos Jr.
Duterte made the threat when the chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, was detained. Lopez received a subpoena from the House of Representatives because she had left the country the day before a November 5, 2024, investigation committee hearing to which she was invited. The committee is investigating the alleged misuse of confidential funds of the OVP and office of the Secretary of Education in 2022. After Lopez gave only vague answers to the lawmakers’ questions, she was cited by the committee in contempt and ordered to be detained. Initially, Lopez was detained on the premises of the House of Representatives and later in a correctional facility, where she reportedly suffered a panic attack.
Sara Duterte has so far refused to answer questions from lawmakers about the controversial use of the OVP’s confidential funds. The use of the funds remains controversial. At the beginning of December, two impeachment complaints were filed against Duterte, accusing her of breach of trust with the public. The first complaint was filed by the Akbayan party list, the second by the progressive Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) party. Notwithstanding that Duterte continues to enjoy approval from her supporters. They defended her statements at a prayer rally in Davao City on November 23, 2024, by saying that she only wanted to show that she could defend herself.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the Vice President’s threats in a taped statement on November 25, 2024. On the same day, Romualdez demanded accountability for Duterte’s statements in a session of the House of Representatives.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) also launched an investigation into the vice president’s statements based on the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020. According to the DOJ, the ATA allows for criminal prosecution of individuals whose statements can be considered a threat to national security. The DOJ later clarified that it did not intend to declare Duterte a terrorist, but she would have to answer for her threats against President Marcos Jr. The hearing in the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) probe into her statements was postponed to December 11, 2024, after Duterte excused herself for the first date. Duterte did however not appear on the newly scheduled date either.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a press conference on November 25, 2024, to “correct” President Marcos Jr. and House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez. Rodrigo Duterte left the statement open and did not name a coup against Marcos Jr. However, the AFP declared that it would distance itself from party politics and would not take sides in this political conflict.
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