Accusations between the two political dynasties of the Philippines (allies in the last elections) have reached unprecedented levels of verbal violence: Vice President Sara Duterte has threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. killed if she herself were eliminated. According to experts, the former president’s daughter, who has higher approval ratings, already has her eyes on the midterm elections scheduled for next year.
Manila () – The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation served a subpoena to Vice President Sara Duterte, who threatened to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Martín Romualdez, if she herself were murdered. The measure – the Office announced today – was taken to give him the opportunity to “explain his position regarding the alleged threats to his life.”
On Saturday, November 23, during an online press conference, although she did not mention any specific threat against her, the vice president declared that she would send an assassin to kill Marcos, his wife and Romualdez, if she herself were murdered. For his part, yesterday Marcos declared that he would react against what he called “reckless and worrying threats” against him and, although he did not name Vice President Duterte, he expressed in strong tones his annoyance at “criminal plans like these that should not be ignored.” .
Former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara’s father, today called on the Army to protect the Constitution and correct what he described as “fragmented governance”: “In the face of so many errors… only the military can correct it,” Duterte added in a broadcast on live on facebook page SMNI Newsalthough he did not call for a coup d’état.
There is a dramatic escalation of tension in relations between the two families, allied by political interests before the election of Marcos in 2022. Two political dynasties that come from electoral fiefdoms that are based in opposite geographical points of the country: in the north (the province of Ilocos Norte) for the Marcoses and in the South (the large city of Davao on the island of Mindanao) for the Dutertes.
Commentators have stressed that it will be difficult for the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte (also accused by the International Criminal Court for the brutality with which he carried out the anti-drug campaign during his term, between 2016 and 2022) to deviate from the management methods of the power of his father, an important part of his political success. And now it is proposed – according to experts – to take advantage of the drop in support for Marcos in anticipation of the midterm elections to be held in May next year, considering that Sara Duterte has continued to obtain the highest ratings of trust and approval.
At the same time, authorities have expressed concern about his statements and President Marcos has given the green light to numerous investigations, now that he no longer appears to need the Duterte family. Since the father, Rodrigo Duterte, could not run again, he gave the place to his daughter, who in turn decided to support Marcos as his vice president, abandoning the race for the presidency. Sara Duterte herself, who has already been investigated for improper use of public funds (she was in charge of the Ministry of Education before resigning in June), clarified a few days ago that the statements were part of a broader discourse and had been taken from context, but did not deny them.
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