Philippine authorities have issued a subpoena to Vice President Sara Duterte, inviting her to answer questions regarding her public threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In her remarks, she claimed she would arrange for the assassination of the president, his wife, and the House of Representatives speaker if she were to be killed in an unspecified plot.
Following her statements, President Marcos characterized the threats as part of a criminal plot and pledged to uphold the rule of law amid escalating tensions between the nation’s two top leaders. The national police and military expressed concern over the situation and promptly increased Marcos’s security. National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano described the threats as a national security issue.
Duterte, a 46-year-old lawyer, maintained that her comments were not actual threats but rather expressions of concern regarding her safety. She accused the Marcos administration of persecution for criticizing the government, describing their responses as “a farce.”
The subpoena requires Duterte to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation on Friday to discuss the alleged grave threats. While she expressed willingness to cooperate, she demanded the Marcos administration answer her inquiries about alleged government irregularities.
Under Philippine law, public remarks of this nature could be construed as a threat, subject to potential prison time and fines.
In a related development, Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres announced that officials are investigating potentially seditious comments made by former President Rodrigo Duterte, the father of the vice president. The former president expressed his support for his daughter while lambasting the government for disregarding concerns related to corruption.
Rodrigo Duterte stated that “there is a fractured governance” and that civilians often go unheard unless the military intervenes. He also reiterated an accusation against Marcos, referring to him as a “drug addict,” which has been a frequent claim by Duterte that Marcos has consistently denied.
Andres indicated that the former president’s remarks about military involvement could be seen as bordering on sedition. Investigators are examining whether the comments made by both the former president and his daughter could be part of a coordinated effort to destabilize the administration.
Both Marcos and Sara Duterte were elected in 2022 under a campaign promoting national unity, but they have since experienced significant discord over various issues, including how to address China’s aggressive territorial claims in the South China Sea and the elder Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
Sara Duterte resigned from her cabinet position in June as education secretary and has become one of the most vocal critics of the current administration, denying any wrongdoing related to ongoing investigations into her management of confidential government funds. She alleges that congressional inquiries are intended to silence dissenting voices within the government. Andres assured that the country’s justice system is capable of addressing these concerns.
