Extreme Conflict Between Philippines' Top 2 Political Families
Vice President Mentions President Amid Assassination Threat
"National Security Issue"... Philippine Government's Full Response
In the Philippines, where internal power struggles within the ruling faction have reached a peak, the Vice President has sparked controversy by revealing that she instructed the assassination of the President and others in case of an emergency. On the 23rd (local time), the Associated Press reported, "Sara Duterte, the second-highest-ranking official in the Philippines, said at an online press conference, 'There is an assassination threat against me,' and added, 'If I am killed, assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos.'"
President Ferdinand Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte at the time of their election in 2022. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News.
At the event, Vice President Duterte reportedly stated, "I instructed one of my security team members that if I am murdered, to kill BBM (President Marcos’s initials), Liza Araneta (the First Lady), and Martin Romualdez (the Speaker of the House)." She added, "(This) is not a joke. I told them not to stop until they kill them, and the security guard replied, 'Understood.'"
In response to the Vice President’s threatening remarks, the Presidential Palace immediately announced it would strengthen security for President Marcos and consider the matter a national security issue. The Presidential Palace stated, "All threats to the President’s life must be taken seriously, and this threat is even more so because it has been clearly and explicitly made public." Lukus Bersamin, the Chief of the Presidential Staff, said, "Vice President Duterte’s remarks constitute an active threat," and ordered the Presidential Security Group to take "immediate and appropriate measures." Police Chief Ramel Marbil also instructed an investigation, saying, "Direct or indirect threats to the President’s life must be resolved as a matter of utmost urgency."
The Vice President who made the controversial remarks is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte and is currently in conflict with the ruling faction. The Vice President’s office budget was cut by about two-thirds under the leadership of ruling party lawmakers, including Speaker Romualdez, who is also a cousin of President Marcos. The House of Representatives is investigating allegations of budget misuse by the Vice President. Additionally, Zuleika Lopez, the Vice President’s chief of staff, was detained on charges of obstructing the investigation.
During the 2022 presidential election, the Marcos and Duterte families formed a political alliance, but recent political confrontations have intensified, leading analysts to suggest that the alliance has collapsed. The main reason is that President Marcos has taken a pro-U.S. stance by confronting China over the South China Sea issue, which is the exact opposite of former President Duterte’s pro-China position.
Furthermore, former President Duterte is aiming for a political comeback by running for mayor of Davao City on Mindanao Island, his political stronghold, in the 2025 midterm elections. He has expressed views supporting the separation of Mindanao from the Philippines. The Marcos administration’s efforts to amend laws under the pretext of expanding foreign investment are seen as attempts to extend the six-year single-term presidency for long-term rule, prompting checks and balances. As the Vice President finds herself in a politically precarious situation amid these tensions, her recent remarks are interpreted as a reflection of this instability.
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