25-11-2024 (MANILA) The Philippine House of Representatives has implemented heightened security measures following an extraordinary public statement by Vice President Sara Duterte, in which she claimed to have arranged potential retaliatory assassinations against top government officials, including House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In an unprecedented escalation of political tensions, Duterte made the shocking declaration during a weekend address, stating she had already contacted an individual to carry out killings of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Romualdez, should any attempt be made on her life.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed that security protocols have been strengthened at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City, with additional support from the Philippine National Police (PNP). “We have doubled our security presence,” Velasco stated, though he noted that Speaker Romualdez’s personal security detail remains unchanged.
The Vice President’s controversial statements appear to have been triggered by recent developments in an ongoing House investigation into the use of confidential funds by her office. Tensions escalated following the House panel’s decision to transfer her Chief of Staff, Zuleika Lopez, from House detention to a correctional facility in Mandaluyong. This transfer order came after Duterte spent a night within the House premises following a visit to Lopez.
The extraordinary public threat has sent shockwaves through Philippine political circles, marking a severe deterioration in relations between the Vice President and the administration. Duterte explicitly stated in her address, “I’ve already instructed this person that if I’m killed, they should not stop until they’ve eliminated them,” adding that she had received confirmation from her contact.
The Vice President has consistently maintained her innocence regarding allegations of fund misuse, characterising the House investigation as politically motivated persecution. The situation represents one of the most serious political crises to face the current administration, highlighting deep divisions within the country’s leadership.
