MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Monday that he would fight back against the assassination threat made by Vice President Sara Duterte against him and his family.
Marcos said this in response to Duterte, who on Saturday claimed that she had hired someone to kill him, his wife Liza, and cousin Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself is killed.
Marcos said the Vice President’s recent pronouncements were “alarming.”
“Kung ganun na lang kadali ang pagplano sa pagpatay ng isang presidente, papaano pa kaya ang mga pangkaraniwan na mamamayan? ‘Yang ganyang krimimal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinapalampas,” said Marcos.
[If it’s that easy to plan the assassination of a president, how much more for ordinary citizens? Such criminal attempts should not be ignored.]
“‘Yan ay aking papalagan,” he added.
[I will fight back.]
‘Tell the truth’
Marcos said the whole “drama” would not have escalated to this point if Duterte faced the House of Representatives, which is currently investigating the alleged misuse of confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
“Ang katotohanan ay hindi dapat i-tokhang. Tapos na sana ang usapang ito kung tutuparin lamang ang sinumpaang panata na bilang lingkod bayan ay magsabi ng totoo, at hindi hahadlangan,” said Marcos.
[The truth should not be executed. This issue would have been over if only the sworn oath to be a public servant had been fulfilled, to tell the truth and not to obstruct.]
<“Imbes na derechahang sagot, nililihis pa sa kwentong chicheria,” he added.
[Instead of direct answers, it is diverted to false narratives.]
Rule of law
Marcos then declared that the rule of law must be upheld in a democratic country.
“Kailangan manaig ang batas sa anumang sitwasyon, sinuman ang tamaan. Kaya hindi ko hahayaang mag tagumpay ang hangarin ng iba na hatakin ang buong bansa sa burak ng pulitika,” said Marcos.
[The law must prevail in any situation, no matter who is affected. That is why I will not allow the desire of others to drag the entire country into the political chaos.]
It was on Saturday when Duterte in a press conference claimed that she had already instructed someone to assassinate the President , the first lady and the speaker of the House of Representatives.
“May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘Kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke. Nagbilin na ako,” said Duterte.
[I already talked to someone. I told the person, ‘If they kill me, kill Bongbong Marcos, Liza Araneta, and Martin Romualdez.’ No joke, no joke. I’ve already left instructions.]
Malacañang then immediately tagged Duterte’s pronouncement as an “active threat.”
Duterte, however, later backtracked and pointed out that the threat was merely a warning reflecting her “revenge from the grave,” reiterating it would only happen should she end up dead amid a supposed threat to her life.
She even likened it to her previous remarks where she threatened to exhume the body of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and dump it into the West Philippine Sea if political attacks against her continue.
This isn’t the first time Duterte alluded to killing Marcos.
Previously, Duterte said she daydreamed about cutting off Marcos head due to the way he acted during a certain graduation rite.